Dissimilis
by Joyce LaKee
Summary: Crossover with XFiles. The truth is near as two FBI agents discover Hogwarts. READ AND REVIEW!
1. Chapter 1

Chris Carter and 1013 Productions own the X-Files. JK Rowling, Warner Brothers and Scholastic own Harry Potter. All I own is this story line, every Harry Potter DVD and a complete collection of X-Files DVD's. I wish I owned Fox Mulder.

A/N This story is set anytime during _Sorcerers Stone_ through _Prisoner of Azkaban_ of HP (although it contains information in all the books) and after X-Files episode "Emily", but before "Requiem".

SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE

Dana, reminiscing: _Ever since I was a child, the two main passions of my life were to relieve human suffering and to find the scientific explanation for every event in our universe. The first passion was fulfilled when I became a medical doctor. The second passion led me to investigate unexplained phenomena._

GEORGETOWN

SEPTEMBER, 199-

Special Agent Dana Scully had just plopped down on the sofa with the TV remote in her hand after a long and frustrating day at work, when suddenly there was a loud, insistent knock at the door. Muttering an unprintable word, she heaved herself off the sofa and padded over to the door to find her partner, Fox Mulder, standing there, looking like a kid in a candy store.

"Pack your bags, Scully, we take a plane first thing tomorrow!"

Scully groaned. "Not back to Maine, Mulder. We combed the entire area and sifted through every piece of evidence and..."

"Not Maine, Scully--Scotland!"

Scully stared at him while she tried to comprehend what he was saying.

"Scotland--Scotland--Mulder, that's not in our jurisdiction," she stammered.

"Scully, I just spoke to Assistant Director Skinner. He said it was a special assignment--outside the mainstream, even for us, but the red tape has been cut, the approvals have been given on all sides, and we leave tomorrow. So, get packing."

"But--but--Maine--I still have evidence being analyzed at the lab, and..."

"Scully, listen to me--we're off that assignment. Delegate it, make a few calls, but we're going."

When he saw that Scully still hesitated, he grinned at her and said, "Besides, Scully, weren't you just saying the other day that you need to get out more?"

Scully sighed in frustration and threw up her hands. "I give up." She headed for the closet where she kept her luggage, and said to Mulder, irritably, "I don't see why you're so excited."

"Among other reasons, we'll be going through Kings Cross Station."

"Yeah, so?"

"Kings Cross Station, Scully, where the disappearances occur!"

"You lost me Mulder, " she said, throwing some toiletries in a bag.

"For years there have been reports of disappearances at Kings Cross. They go like this. A child or teenager, pushing a lot of luggage before them, runs at top speed at one of the pillars--always the same one, Scully--then the luggage, the kid, everything vanishes! My own theory is that what they are seeing are ghosts. But we'll be able to see the pillar up close, maybe collect some evidence."

"Mulder, I think what really happened is that somebody's eyes were playing tricks on them one day, but it was such a good story that it became legend, and other people want to get in on the act."

Mulder shook his head. He knew Scully would insist on a "rational" explanation, but he didn't feel like arguing with her right now. "Don't forget to call the lab," he said.

Scully picked up the phone and started dialing. "So, Mulder, what's the name of the place we're going?"

"The Hogwarts School," Mulder said nonchalantly, and then grinned. "Of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

Scully hung up the phone quickly and turned to look at him, eyebrow raised.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL

HEADMASTER'S OFFICE

FOLLOWING DAY

"But it's never done! Muggles are never allowed at Hogwarts!" Severus Snape said, emphatically.

"Not never, Severus. Just look at Argus Filch."

"It's different for squibs. They understand our need for secrecy"

"If I may, Headmaster," Minerva McGonagall broke in," We have laws against muggles at Hogwarts in order to protect ourselves. We have no guarantee that the muggles you propose bringing into Hogwarts won't reveal our secrets, even by accident or with the best of intentions."

"Professor McGonagall, I looked carefully into their backgrounds. They have proven themselves many times to be discreet and well capable of keeping secrets," Dumbledore said, wearily. He had fought this same battle in the Ministry of Magic, particularly with Lucius Malfoy, who had fought him tooth and nail. "Besides," he said quietly, "They are already very close to finding out about us on their own. Only they don't realize it yet."

"But Professor Dumbledore--how?" McGonagall gasped.

"You remember hearing rumors about Voldemort's activities overseas?" Dumbledore asked. McGonagall and Snape nodded. Dumbledore continued. "The attacks occurred in Maine. The two American muggles have been investigating these incidents for their Federal Bureau of Investigation. I have learned from my sources that all they have to do is put the pieces together and we'll be discovered."

"Couldn't you obliviate their memories, instead?" Snape demanded.

"I did consider that, Severus. However, on further reflection I decided the best course would be to simply bring them here and show them what they are looking for."

"But---"

"It's been decided," Dumbledore said, finally. "They will arrive here tomorrow, we will make them feel welcome, and we will cooperate with them.

PLEASE REVIEW! I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.


	2. Chapter 2

Chris Carter and 1013 Productions own the X-Files. JK Rowling, Warner Brothers and Scholastic own Harry Potter. All I own is this story line, every Harry Potter DVD and an almost complete collection of X-Files DVD's.

A/N This story is set anytime during _Sorcerers Stone_ through _Prisoner of Azkaban_ of HP (although it contains information in all the books) and after X-Files episode "Emily", but before "Requiem".

SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE

Dana, reminiscing: _In the years my partner and I investigated X-Files, I came to realize that sometimes, to look beyond the rational explanation and the scientific answer brought greater clarity to my understanding._

Dumbledore was thinking that although Scully hid it well, she seemed antagonized by the Hogwarts environment.

For his part, Snape looked back at Scully a moment then directed a frown at the floor. He never thought he'd see the day that muggles would be sitting in the headmaster's office for any reason, let alone in a professional capacity.

Mulder sat on the other side of Scully. In contrast to his partner, Mulder was quite relaxed and seemed pleased to be here.

After a brief introduction around the room, which Scully was sure, she would never remember, the Headmaster launched into his explanation. The prime suspect was a wizard named Voldemort. The wizards all cringed at the sound of this name, and Scully and Mulder exchanged a quick glance. Scully glanced at the wizard seated next to her under her eyelashes to study his reaction more closely, but he had already recovered his composure. Dumbledore went on to explain that from now on the suspect would be referred to as "He Who Must Not Be Named" or simply "You Know Who". And would the muggles please refrain from using his proper name too? He had attempted a bid for rule over the wizarding world, during the course of which he gathered a group of followers known as the Death Eaters. Crimes included Dark Magic and murder. All this began a little more than 20 years ago. Over 10 years ago, "You Know Who" had been abruptly stopped during an attack on a family where the parents had been killed, but a baby had survived with only minor injuries. Although there had not been enough physical evidence to prove You Know Who had died, the wizarding community had presumed he was dead. Life returned to normal.

In recent years, there had been increasing evidence that You Know Who may have returned. Crimes, murders, mysterious happenings. There had also been attacks on muggles and an increase in irritating and dangerous pranks with muggles as the intended target, known to wizards as "muggle-baiting", which seemed to suggest that he was not working alone. Were there anyquestions?

"How is this entity manifesting itself, Headmaster?" Asked Mulder. "A spirit, a corporeal being, perhaps a parasite?"

The faculty looked at each other, surprised by the question.

"We don't actually know, Agent Mulder," Dumbledore replied.

Mulder nodded to Scully and she started to stand up. "If you would direct us to the crime scene, Headmaster," she said, " Agent Mulder and I can get started."

A murmur went around the room, and Scully looked around, unsure of herself.

"I'm afraid you misunderstand, Agent Scully. We don't expect you to find or capture Voldemort," Dumbledore said, amused and impressed.

"Then I'm afraid I'm a little confused," said Mulder, as they sat back down.

"Voldemort has a deep dislike for persons of non-magical abilities. If he is successful in his bid for dominance over the Wizarding world, he will proceed to eliminate your kind--muggles. Don't misunderstand; if you were to capture him, you would earn the eternal gratitude of the wizarding world. But no, you're here to observe. After this assignment is over, you will return to your world and have no more contact with us. Therefore, you need to understand this threat close up. You will each be working closely with a faculty member to learn enough about our world and the crimes I just briefed you on so that, if the time comes, you will be able to see the signs of his infiltrating into your world, and prepare yourselves for it. Agent Mulder, I understand you have some knowledge cryptobiology?"

"The study of presumed mythical creatures, yes," Mulder replied.

"I have assigned you to work with Rubeus Hagrid. He is our gamekeeper."

"Agent Scully, I understand you're a doctor? You will be working with our Potions Professor, Severus Snape." She turned to look at Snape, and saw that he still had that look of irritation on his face that he was wearing ever since she and Mulder had walked into the room. She stifled a sigh and looked down at her fingernails. Another crazy voodoo assignment, complete with the required Suspicious Local. Why did there always have to be a Suspicious Local?

Dumbledore dismissed the group, and as they all stood up, Snape checked the time and gruffly bade Scully to follow him, saying he didn't want to be late to class. Just let her try to keep up, he thought sourly. Without a word, she followed him out the door, and through the winding maze of corridors and staircases. If Snape had expected Scully to make a comment about the size or confusion of the layout of Hogwarts, he was disappointed. He had been daunted by the complexity of the Hogwarts buildings as a first-year student and would have enjoyed a bit of discomfiture on her part, but she followed him easily, and didn't complain about his speedy pace. He brooded as he wondered what Dumbledore was thinking, to assign one of the muggles to him--this woman walking quietly beside him, only the muffled click of her heels on the floor.

Scully did not try to engage Snape in conversation. She hadn't been able to shake the sense of disorientation that she'd had ever since passing through the pillar at King's Cross, and she was unwilling to betray any weakness in front of this stranger. Law enforcement was still very much a man's world and she felt a sense of obligation to be better than her male colleagues and wasn't sure if the man had any prejudices. As she walked, she observed the hallway, the many doors and passages, the occasional ghosts. If there hadn't been ghosts at the Ministry she would have jumped out of her skin to see them here. If she showed any sign of fear, her newly assigned partner would never take her seriously. She thought about the interview with Headmaster Dumbledore. She believed he was telling the truth, but she also had the definite impression that he hadn't told them the entire truth. She was sure he was holding some information back. She envied Molder. "Cryptobiology", indeed. She had as much experience in biological oddities as he. Maybe she'd get lucky and a fluke-boy would bite Mulder. It would serve him right. Ever since they arrived here he had been acting like he had just won the Power Ball jackpot.


	3. Chapter 3

Chris Carter and 1013 Productions own the X-Files. JK Rowling, Warner Brothers and Scholastic own Harry Potter. All I own is this story line, every Harry Potter DVD and an almost complete collection of X-Files DVD's.

A/N This story is set anytime during _Sorcerers Stone_ through _Prisoner of Azkaban_ of HP (although it contains information in all the books) and after X-Files episode "Emily", but before "Requiem".

SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE

Dana, reminiscing: _Mulder and I had been working together for several years when we were called to investigate a case which was a little out of the ordinary for us. What made this case so unusual, was that we were there by the request of an individual who was himself, for all intents and purposes, an X-File, and we went to investigate one of his own kind._

POTIONS CLASSROOM

HOGWARTS

To Snape's dismay, they arrived at the classroom with too long to spare. He half-hoped to lose her during the walk, but Dumbledore would never have stood for that. His next best idea was to arrive just before the students did. But she easily kept up the pace he had set, and now they had time on their hands. He turned to look at her, and she was walking slowly along the edge of the classroom, hands in the pockets of her duster, looking at the specimens in jars. She had seen plenty of medical specimens in her med school days, not to mention the creatures she had seen since being assigned to the X-Files, and not much repulsed her. She paused at one jar with a single white worm in it, a few inches long. Snape thought he saw her turn a little pale, but she turned to look at him through the dim light, one eyebrow raised.

"This specimen is dead, isn't it?"

"Of course. Why do you ask?" His voice sounded suspicious.

"I saw something like this once. If it were alive, contact would be lethal..." Her voice trailed off and she shuddered slightly. She was remembering the scientists who had lost first their sanity, then their lives to this infection. "Anyway. It's possible that You Know Who has some connection, or access to Hogwarts. What can you tell me about the relationships with the families. Anyone who might want to make trouble?"

"Every school has its share of malcontents. However, it's an honor to be invited to attend Hogwarts. Nobody is forced to come here, and parents are free to remove their chldren if they please. It doesn't seem likely that parents would want to put their own children in danger."

"What security systems are set up to ensure the safety of the staff and students?"

"Various charms and spells which would be too difficult to explain to somebody without a background in magic."

He was deliberately baiting her. She nodded and asked, "Would you give me a for-instance?"

"For instance, to put it in muggle terms, it is impossible to appear and disappear from the Hogwarts grounds. In other words, vanish."

"Yes, yes, I understood." Naturally. _Of course_ they can vanish if they want to. Only _not from here_. Makes perfect sense.

At this the first students began to trickle in. She quietly took the seat Snape pointed out to her at the side of the classroom, being careful to brush off the stool first.

After a brief introduction, "Special Agent Dana Scully, from the FBI. From the United States, in case you can't figure it out." Snape began teaching. Scully observed he was a tough teacher. He expected the students to come to class prepared, and did not tolerate nonsense or disrespect. They were practicing spells and making potions, and Scully was facinated, in spite of herself.

The class reminded her a little of her pharmacology classes in med school. She found herself thinking that she would like to have more information on things like metabolism, half-life, contraindications...

After she had lost the thread of the lecture, Scully peered around the classroom, trying not to stare. This room, with its stone walls and flickering torches, was a far cry from the government-sterile rooms where she herself had taught at Quantico. Her classroom had had standard-issue green paint over wallboard, the ubiquitous flurescent lights, a few computers, a whiteboard, and a worktable to demonstrate post-mortem exams to her eager students. This classroom, despite its eerie, dungeon-like atmosphere, had style.

At one point, one of the students answered a question wrong, and Snape was ready to make a caustic remark, but out of the corner of his eye he happened to notice Scully gazing at him and showing an interest in the subject matter, and suddenly felt unequal to abusing the students while she looked at him like that. Instead, he assigned a drill for homework punishment. The students looked at each other surreptitiously. That punishment was quite lenient by Potions standards.

After this class was a second, more advanced and doing more complicated potions. Scully wondered, with mild amusement, what the DEA would have thought of minors being taught to make powerful and dangerous chemicals. Oh well. She was only here to investigate murders--not determine the legality or appropriateness of wizard educational practices.

The second class ended, and it was time for lunch. The students filed out, and Snape gestured towards his office, up a small flight of stairs to the left of the door where the students entered. Scully entered, and laughed a little. Snape turned to look at her.

"This looks a lot like ther office Mulder and I use--you know, things strewn around, papers and books..." she explained. And windowless, she thought, and in the basement. She could relate to that. Yet, she wondered who he had ticked off to merit such a crappy location. Not that she had room to talk, but at least she and Mulder had a skylight.

Snape had never thought about muggle offices or the clutter they might accumulate. He never really gave them much thought at all. He shrugged.

Scully continued, "Why don't we go outside to eat? It's such a beautiful day."

Snape thought about refusing, then shrugged again, and agreed. They climbed to a little round turrett, with stone benches all around the inside. She was quiet again as they ate, but then she took a sip of her drink and muttered, "quality control."

"I beg your pardon?"

She shook her head. "I was watching your students, all their bowls--"

"Cauldrons," he interuppted.

"Cauldrons, then. Anyway, they all looked a little different, some of them even had to be discarded. It's very precice, what you do. The temperature has to be just right, it has to be stirred properly, it needs to come to the right consistency. And working with fresh ingredients is a challenge for standardization purposes." She lapsed back into silence, thinking.

Snape looked at her, stunned and more than a little impressed. These were the principles that he tried to teach the students, not always with success, but this muggle already understood. He was almost sorry he had placed her near Longbottom on purpose.

"I was impressed with your students," she continued. "I only ever taught adults."

"You're a teacher?"

"Not anymore, but I taught forensic pathology at Quantico. The study of bodies for clues to solve crimes."

He hadn't known what forensic pathology was and was glad she explained, because he didn't want to ask her. He also didn't know what a "Quantico" was, but he could find out on his own if he wanted to.

"But here's something I don't understand. Why do all the students need to know how to make potions? Don't wizards specialize? Does everybody need to know every skill?"

"We do specialize, Agent Scully. However, at Hogwarts we believe that by the time students graduate, they need to be prepared to defend themselves in case of attack."

"Is your world such a dangerous place, then?" she asked.

"It can be. It's better to be prepared."

Scully sat staring over the forest. Then she spoke.

"You're uncomfortable having muggles around, aren't you?" It was the first time she had said the unfamiliar word out loud and felt a little silly doing it.

Snape looked directly into her eyes, and Scully returned his look eye for eye. Snape seemed to be judging, considering.

"Agent Scully, I've been against this joint venture from the start. We avoid muggles for a reason. You two were chosen because you have some knowledge of things outside your own world, and you have shown that you know when to be discreet." Scully nodded and shrugged.

"I think it remains to be seen which of us is the more vulnerable," she replied. Snape had no answer for this.

"It would be interesting however," said Scully, reverting to her earlier topic, "to see how these potions would appear on a tox screen."


	4. Chapter 4

Chris Carter and 1013 Productions own the X-Files. JK Rowling, Warner Brothers and Scholastic own Harry Potter. All I own is this story line, every Harry Potter DVD and an almost complete collection of X-Files DVD's.

A/N This story is set anytime during _Sorcerers Stone_ through _Prisoner of Azkaban_ of HP (although it contains information in all the books) and after X-Files episode "Emily", but before "Requiem".

SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE

Dana, reminiscing: _You will not be able to find any record of this assignment; not in any newspaper, not under the auspices of the Freedom of Information Act, not by by any other means. I confess here, that I falsified my original field report, then what I submitted to the FBI was further altered by the bureaucrats, and eventually it was buried in some stack of random files. Furthermore, we were asked by our "host" not to bring back any physical evidence, a request with which we complied. _

THE GREAT HALL

HOGWARTS

The agents were to be formally introduced to the school at dinner that night. Scully had changed and was waiting by herself for instructions in the back of the foyer. She was watching the students file in, and some of them smiled at her shyly. She smiled back, but she was not looking forward to taking her meals at the head table, so much in everybody's view. She was missing the nice, anonymous lunch room at Headquarters where it was easy to blend in, or even better, when she and Mulder would order something sent to their office.

Mulder caught her up and pulled her aside.

"So, Scully, what do you think of this place?" He asked quietly.

"I'll admit Mulder, it is a step above the 'quarter-behind-the-ear' trick."

"Scully, I've been waiting my whole life for proof of something like this. I almost expect this whole place to disappear one night and leave nothing but a scorched circle in the Highlands as evidence."

Scully was amazed. "Mulder, you're not thinking we're dealing with EBE's, are you?"

"Extraterrestrial Biological Entities? I don't know, Scully, but whovever we're dealing with, they are complex, highly organized and know how to hide effectively from outsiders."

Mulder moved away from her to have a word with Hagrid, and Scully inched toward the door of the Great Hall, pondering what Mulder had said. As she peered inside, she saw the ceiling for the first time. Or maybe the lack of a ceiling? Whatever it was, it was beautiful, and Scully was transfixed, looking at the evening sky.

While she was standing, she sensed a movement behind her, and turned around to see Snape. She smiled briefly at him, then continued her study of the ceiling. Could Mulder be right? Could Professor Snape and all the rest of these people be EBE's?

As she stood, thinking, and admiring the dining hall, Snape studied her appearance a little more closely. Dressed in a severely cut, knee length dinner suit, as opposed to the long, flowing robes of the witches he knew, and her hair not hidden under a pointed hat, she almost seemed exotic, especially to someone like him, who spent virtually all his time in the wizarding world.

Scully asked him as she gestured towards the ceiling, "Professor Snape, I have never seen anything like this. This is beautiful. Did you have something to do with the construction of this?"

He almost gasped at the question. How old did she think he was? He didn't think he was that much older than she, maybe five years. Yet, Snape was pleased, in spite of himself at this muggle thinking he had helped build this dining hall. Snape took all this for granted, but now he looked at it again through her eyes. For the first time in a long time, he was appreciating it, too.

Snape replied, "Agent Scully, this ceiling was constructed long before I was here as a student."

Scully nodded. More students were filing in, and she stepped back to let them pass. Snape took a step backward, trying to avoid contact. However, an idea occured to him. He tapped her on the arm, and when she turned around, he was holding a coin in his cupped hand and he whispered a quick incantation. The coin transformed into a tiny rose. "Here's something I made."

Scully smiled at him. "May I see it?"

She delicately took the rose out of his hand, examined it closely on all sides. Scully still wanted to believe that it was just some kind of a trick, like something you'd see in a nightclub act in Vegas. Then she decided it didn't matter right now. She fastened it to her jacket. Neither Scully nor Snape were aware of the pair of eyes observing them at close range. A young witch looked away quickly and glanced at her friends, but they hadn't noticed anything. That was the problem when your two best friends were boys. She smiled to herself, anyway. She would file this observation away along with all her others.


	5. Chapter 5

Chris Carter and 1013 Productions own the X-Files. JK Rowling, Warner Brothers and Scholastic own Harry Potter. All I own is this story line, every Harry Potter DVD and a complete collection of X-Files DVD's.

A/N This story is set anytime during _Sorcerers Stone_ through _Prisoner of Azkaban_ of HP (although it contains information in all the books) and after X-Files episode "Emily", but before "Requiem".

STAFF ROOM

HOGWARTS

Soothing music was playing from a source which Scully had not yet figured out in one of the large rooms dedicated for the use of the staff and faculty only. A group of wizards and witches from the Ministry of Magic were in attendance, and every effort had been made to make this occasion look like nothing more than a social to welcome the two FBI agents. Scully and Mulder had been together in a group of people, answering questions and making small talk, but over the course of the evening, the two agents had gradually been separated, as one wizard started a separate conversation with Scully and another wizard was talking ever-so-politely to Mulder, and they wound up in two completely different groups. Scully remembered some of the faces from the Ministry that morning, but others were new. Wine was being poured freely, although Scully sipped hers sparingly. Some of the faculty were treating the occasion as a social; of course, as Scully reflected, none of them were under any cloud of suspicion. Dumbledore approached Scully's group and made pleasant small talk for a few moments before he said, "May I have a moment alone with Agent Scully?"

He led her away towards the opposite side of the room before he stopped.

"Agent Scully, may I offer my apologies?"

"Apologies?"

"For all this." He waved his hand at the crowd.

"I'm not sure I understand."

"One of the conditions for allowing you and Agent Mulder here was they wanted to see you both in Hogwarts itself."

Scully nodded, thinking. She hadn't been paranoid. They really were trying to divide and conquer.

"Sir," Scully asked, "How do you know about us?"

"I read muggle newspapers, Agent Scully. You two worked on a case several years ago; unsolved arsons in England, then a rash of arsons in the US. I read the article about the man's capture and your names were in it. I remembered it. It stumped British authorities." Dumbledore led her across the room to where Snape was standing, by himself, watching everything.

"Severus, would you get Agent Scully a drink? She left her glass across the room." Dumbledore smiled at Scully and left.

Scully thanked Snape as he handed her a new glass of wine. "However," she said, "I really didn't need to be rescued."

"Headmaster Dumbledore was doing you a favor. He knows those people better than you do. Watch--his next move will be to extricate your partner." They watched as Dumbledore proceeded to pull Mulder from the crowd that surrounded him. "Dumbledore fought very hard to bring you two here, and it was an uphill battle. It would be wise to follow his lead. In fact, there's a witch who's trying to make her way over here now."

Scully turned and saw that he was right. Nudging him with her elbow, she said, "Then let's walk this way and try to ditch her."

HOGWARTS GROUNDS

FOLLOWING DAY

The next day was a Saturday, so there were no classes, and Scully was getting down to business. At breakfast she asked Snape to show her where some previous incidents had occured. Snape agreed and showed her around the campus. He was impressed with what a quick study she was. He had always believed that muggles weren't very bright, but he was finding that to be wrong. At least, in her case. Mulder must have had the same idea as Scully, because they caught up with him and Hagrid at one of the old scenes. Unlike Snape, Hagrid was very friendly and open, and responded warmly when Scully talked to him.

When the four of them parted ways again, and Hagrid was sure Snape was out of ear-shot, he gave Mulder an apologetic look and said, "I sure am sorry that Agent Scully has to work with Professor Snape. He didn't approve of bringing muggles here you know, and I hope he doesn't give her a hard time."

He was surprised when Mulder laughed at the idea. He replied, "I dont know how things work around here, but back home, it's standard procedure for different agencies to vie for dominance. If Professor Snape were too easy, Scully wouldn't know what to do. No, she's very experienced at getting whatever information she needs..." Mulder paused, and a wry smile appeared on his face. "Be worried for him, not her."

Meanwhile, Snape had told Scully that there would be a quidditch match later that afternoon, and she was intrigued. She had never heard of the game before, but she wanted to see it. So later, as the match was soon to start, they were headed towards the playing field.

They were in viewing distance, when she saw something strange in the sky...some sort of bird...?

Scully gasped and pointed to the sky. "Why, those are people on flying...brooms...?"

"Yes, keep moving so we're not late."

Scully continued walking gingerly, half looking at the sky. Snape had said about riding on brooms but she thought she had misunderstood him. Snape almost wanted to laugh as her amazement.

They made their way into the stands, where Scully saw Mulder. She smiled and talked to him, then suddenly there was a loud sort of fanfare and the game began. She had several people explaining the game to her at the same time, and and someone pressed a little pair of binoculars in her hand. She was starting to get an idea of what she was looking at when at about the second half of the game, one of the players was downed, and Scully watched, but he didn't get up. She turned to make her way to the exit when she felt a hand on her arm.

"Where are you going?" Snape asked her.

"That player is hurt--I'm going down so I can help him." Scully started moving towards the exit.

"The nurse will be coming..."

Scully didn't slow down. She was trying to throw off Snape, who was following her, but hadn't let go of her arm. "Well, I'm a doctor! Let go! I'm going down."

Snape let go, but followed her, trying to reason with her. "It's dangerous on the field--the bludger..."

Scully only became more adamant. Now that she was out in the aisle, she took off trotting towards the exit. Snape stopped, exasperated. He didn't think she would be that stubborn.

Snape caught her up as she hesitated at the exit, trying to remember which way to go. "If you're determined to do this thing, I'll help you."

"Fine. Thank you."

Snape sighed, and led her down to the field. The nurse wasn't there yet, and Scully ran to the player and did a quick assessment. Breathing okay, thready pulse indicative of shock, he was unconcious and bleeding from a head wound and (she observed and felt quickly) a broken collar bone. She was staunching the bleeding with a folded corner of her jacket and hollering up to Snape to get help, when she saw the school nurse, dressed like Florence Nightingale, coming around the side of the stadium wall.

"Go bring a stretcher, " Scully ordered the nurse as she mentally decided on a course of action. She decided she would ride with him to the hospital, but she could start care here--start an IV line, administer oxygen, whatever they had available. She looked back at the nurse, and to her alarm, the nurse was just kneeling there, looking at her.

Scully said to her, "Let's go! This child needs medical attention."

The nurse just stared at the crazy woman trying to move the injured child. While staring at Scully, she administered a poultice to the head wound and dug around in her apron pocket. Scully was getting angry at all this delay. She turned to call Snape to back her up, and jumped when she saw Mulder at her elbow. He and Dumbledore had followed them down to the field, and a few faculty members were there, too. Mulder held her arm.

Scully said, "Mulder, help me here."

"Scully, wait, " Mulder replied.

"No..."

"Scully, just look."

Scully stopped pleading long enough to see that the nurse had her wand out and was healing the collarbone right on the spot, and the head wound was shrinking and healing. He was even regaining conciousness. Scully looked at Mulder, then sheepishly at the others gathered around, staring at her like the nurse had. Dumbledore stepped up to her and patted her on the arm.

"Why don't you accompany Madam Pomfrey," he said as he gestured to the nurse, "back to the infirmary with the student. Madam Pomfrey, would you be so kind as to show Agent Scully around? I'm sure she would be very interested in how we give medical care here."

Madam Pomfrey agreed and Scully was grateful at Dumbledore's covering for her gaffe. The two women walked the student to the infirmary and after he was settled in for a rest period, the nurse showed Scully around and explained their medical procedures and protocals. They exchanged medical stories and techniques and both found the other's experience facinating. Scully wished she could heal broken bones so quickly, but that was simply not possible. Madam Pomfrey was amazed at the idea of an emergency room. She wished she could have the chance to see all that for herself because it sounded exciting. Maybe muggles weren't so ignorant after all. They didn't have magic, but they managed by using their minds to compensate.


	6. Chapter 6

Chris Carter and 1013 Productions own the X-Files. JK Rowling, Warner Brothers and Scholastic own Harry Potter. All I own is this story line, every Harry Potter DVD and a complete collection of X-Files DVD's.

A/N This story is set anytime during _Sorcerers Stone_ through _Prisoner of Azkaban_ of HP (although it contains information in all the books) and after X-Files episode "Emily", but before "Requiem".

STAFF ROOM

HOGWARTS

The staff room was a different scene that night, with only the Hogwarts people there, and nobody from the Ministry. The teachers were more welcoming and curious about the newcomers than the Ministry employees, and Scully realized that she was actually starting to unwind a little as she found herself in a group of people, making pleasant small talk.

She stood up to pour herself a cup of tea. As she walked across the room, she spied Snape sitting by himself at one of the tables, pen in hand. She sat down across from him.

"Grading papers? Time-consuming job," she said, sympathetically.

"Indeed," he said shortly, but put his pen down to look at her.

"I'm going to get some tea. You want any?"

For a moment he thought about refusing. He though about pointing out to her that he could bring a cup of tea floating across the room to himself anytime he wished. But he changed his mind, nodded, and went back to his work.

He took the cup from her with a curt "Thank you." when she came back. She smiled and started to leave when he said, "You may sit down if you like. I'm finished."

Scully sat down and saw that he was looking at the rose which she had fastened to her jacket this evening. She took it off and played with it a little.

"You know, Professor Snape, last night when I got back to my guest room I examined this thoroughly, but I couldn't figure it out. I was impressed."

"What is there to figure out?"

"How you did it."

Snape held out his hand. "If you're through with it, I'll take it back."

"No. I'm keeping this."

She flashed him a little smile as she pinned it back on. He had the same serious expression she had seen him wear ever since she met him, but something else flickered across his features for just a moment.

"Today at Quidditch--everybody riding brooms--can you do that?" She asked him.

"Of course."

"It looks exciting."

"It takes training and practice, Agent Scully, but it's indescribable, the sensation of flight, of rising up to any altitude one chooses, the exhilaration of swooping down suddenly, making abrupt turns." Scully found herself interested in his description.

She turned her head as she heard her name called. "Hey Scully, come here a minute and back me up? No one believes we've encountered a werewolf."

Scully gave an apologetic glance to Snape as she pushed her chair back. He was looking at her with sudden interest. "Technically, Mulder, the term the people at the reservation used was 'Manitou'." She seemed reluctant to talk about it. Before she headed to the group surrounding Mulder, she leaned in and said to Snape, quietly, "You did a good job of describing the indescribable."

THE GREAT HALL

HOGWARTS

"You know, I just realized--wizard buildings are quiet," Scully said to Snape over breakfast the next morning.

"Certainly, if you think a castle full of noisy students is quiet, Agent Scully." It hadn't been lost on Snape that she was wearing the rose again this morning.

"But it is. No electricity, no motors. Everything in a muggle building makes noise. Then next time you're in one, see what I mean. Furnaces and refrigerators and computers and things like that make noise all the time that you tune out eventually. But I realized this morning for the first time since we arrived what I've been straining to hear--the hum of something that runs on electricity."

"Delightful, Agent Scully," said Dumbledore, who had overheard their conversation. He was looking for signs that she was becoming more accustomed to Hogwarts.

At the same time, Snape was becoming more accustomed to working with a muggle. It hadn't been as bad as he thought it would be, but he would never admit that to Dumbledore. He was coming to respect her professionalism and had moved her seat away from Longbottom's table, deciding it really wouldn't be _that_ much fun to see her in close proximity to a Potions accident. He was getting used to her presence, aware of her out of the corner of his eye when he was teaching.

Scully _was_ more accustomed to Hogwarts. She wasn't entirely comfortable with stairs that moved when she climbed them and paintings that held coversations with and about her as she walked by, and she still clung to the idea that all this would be explained away if she was patient enough or investigative enough. However, most of the people she had met were pleasant. Even Snape wasn't too hard to talk to if she didn't expect too much feedback in return. She no longer wished Dumbledore had assigned her somebody more congenial, and she still had Mulder to talk to at the end of the day; her overall impression of Hogwarts was favorable--a nice place to visit, but she wouldn't want to live there.


	7. Chapter 7

Chris Carter and 1013 Productions own the X-Files. JK Rowling, Warner Brothers and Scholastic own Harry Potter. All I own is this story line, every Harry Potter DVD and a complete collection of X-Files DVD's. I wish I owned Fox Mulder.

A/N This story is set anytime during _Sorcerers Stone_ through _Prisoner of Azkaban_ of HP (although it contains information in all the books) and after X-Files episode "Emily", but before "Requiem".

A TURRET

HOGWARTS

In the middle of the week, Scully and Snape were up in the turret, enjoying their lunch in the fresh air on another unseasonably sunny and warm day. Scully had come to look forward to this one meal a day where she wasn't on display for the whole school. She was in a quiet mood and she took off her blazer so she could hang it over the edge and have something soft to lean on. After she settled in, she looked across at the view and said, "I'll say this much, I'll never forget how beautiful this place is. Looking out over the countryside, on a day like this, it's hard to believe anything evil _could_ have occurred here."

"I'm sure you've worked in law enforcement long enough to know not to let looks deceive you, agent Scully. Just because you're seeing something that looks pleasant, don't believe it is. There's a lot you don't know about the war we waged to drive out He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. You don't realize the terrible amount of havoc he wrought over a decade ago. Many people died, there was destruction everywhere. He collected many followers." Snape looked directly in her face. "I was one of them. A Death Eater."

She raised her eyebrow and nodded slowly, not looking away. "I see. And how is it you're here as a teacher?" She spoke calmly and it was impossible to sense her emotion.

Snape broke off eye contact first and fixed his gaze on the stone wall opposite where they sat.

"It was due to Headmaster Dumbledore. He was able to...help me. It's been more than 10 years, but there's much I wish could be undone".

Scully sat, outwardly calm, breathing in and breathing out. Dumbledore had assigned a Death Eater to work with her. For what purpose? Because she had the necessary experience to deal with people with a criminal background? Mulder was the experienced Profiler and had worked in Violent Crimes. Wouldn't Mulder have been the most obvious choice?

Or was Dumbledore simply the type of person who enjoyed playing both ends against the middle, assigning people like pawns for a larger purpose. Scully knew such people from the Bureau. And yet...

Scully had already been made aware of the high esteem in which Dumbledore was held among his people. Parents trusted him enough to send their children to be taught under his supervision, and he ruled Hogwarts with a firm, but kind hand. If he trusted Professor Snape enough to allow him to work at Hogwarts, risking his own reputation, that was worthy of note. He was also broadminded enough to allow her and Mulder into Hogwarts, which was apparently unprecedented. And, the fact was, she couldn't help liking Dumbledore.

There was nothing she could say to Snape sitting next to her, nothing that seemed appropriate. After a few moments of silence between them, she looked down at her hands and mused, almost to herself, " Since joining the Bureau, I've seen a lot of evil--sometimes from forces I could never fully explain--sometimes it was merely man's inhumanity to man." She shuddered a little. "I also learned what it feels like to be completely afraid--what abject terror feels like. My life has been in danger many times, but I still keep coming back to work." She laughed a little then. "Sometimes I wonder why". She didn't know why she felt she needed to make that speech, but when she was finished, they sat quietly once more. The air seemed chillier, and Scully stood up and put on her blazer. She needed to stretch a little after sitting on the stone bench, and she walked over to the parapet opposite, and leaned her elbows on it, clasping her hands in front of her. She hadn't looked directly at Snape since she started talking. In a few minutes, she heard him stand up and walk across the tower until he was standing next to her. She felt the hem of his robe brush against her ankles, but he wasn't looking at her, either.

Snape said, "We'd better be heading back to class now." Scully nodded, and Snape stepped back to let her pass. As they were walking down the stairs, he asked quietly, "Would you prefer to work with someone else? Now that you know?"

Scully thought about Dumbledore who trusted him and Mulder who hadn't expressed any concerns about her working with him and answered, "No, I don't think that will be necessary."


	8. Chapter 8

Chris Carter and 1013 Productions own the X-Files. JK Rowling, Warner Brothers and Scholastic own Harry Potter. All I own is this story line, every Harry Potter DVD and a complete collection of X-Files DVD's. I wish I owned Fox Mulder.

A/N This story is set anytime during _Sorcerers Stone_ through _Prisoner of Azkaban_ of HP (although it contains information in all the books) and after X-Files episode "Emily", but before "Requiem".

THE LIBRARY AT HOGWARTS

LATER THAT EVENING

Over dinner that night, Scully asked Snape to give her directions to the library, which he did. There was simply too much she didn't know about the wizarding world, and she felt that it put her at a disadvantage. Her thoughts were whirling and her eyes ached, so as soon as the meal was over, she switched over to her glasses and put her hair up in a ponytail, then headed toward the library. After consulting with the librarian, Madame Pince, she browsed the history section, and found the simplest books she could find. Scully reasoned that since she was learning everything from scratch, the thinnest books would be the ones to start with. She found a table and sat down to read. It was slow going, because all the names were new to her, but she was amazed at the discovery of an entire parallel history unfolding alongside her own! A few muggle occurrences had been influenced by wizard activity, although not directly, and even more surprisingly, there were several muggle events that were to change the course of wizard history.

The library was quiet and calm, punctuated by occasional whispers from the students. A few of them had smiled and greeted her. Just like her first impression at the dinner that first night, she thought they well mannered. Either that or just curious. She hoped to get to know more of them and maybe ask them some questions.

While she was studying, she heard the chair opposite her scrape and looked up to see a young witch accompanied by two young wizards. They looked at her quizzically and she gestured for them to sit down. The witch introduced herself as Hermione, then introduced her friends, Harry and Ron. Scully remembered seeing them in one of the potions classes. The girl had seemed to know what she was doing, but the boys didn't really stand out in any way. Except she remembered from their briefing that the brown haired boy was the baby who had survived the Voldemort attack so many years ago.

Hermione didn't seem to have any shyness. She talked about how she was born to muggle parents, and how a muggle aunt and uncle raised Harry since his parents had died, killed by You-Know-Who. Scully nodded compassionately in his direction, but she was struck by the way even the students used the common euphemism rather than Voldemort's name. The carnage he had caused must have been severe and appalling, even after all these years.

Hermione had a lot of questions about America and the FBI. Scully found that she did not need to be as circumspect when talking to these kids about her work as she normally would have been, because they were exposed every day to things she herself had never dreamed possible before being assigned to work with Mulder. And yet, she also became conscious that the differences between them were even wider than she had imagined before. There was the difference between muggles and magical people, for instance, but it was compounded by cultural differences. Her accent and her expressions started to sound peculiar to her own ears. Other students started drifting by and sitting down to listen or ask questions. Eventually, Hermione noticed the books Scully was studying.

"Histories of the wizarding world? Are they helpful?" Hermione asked.

"I suppose, but I don't have any background in any of this. I'm not always sure which events came before which other events."

At that point, Hermione demonstrated the personality that made her such a good student. She whipped out a pen and a rather long parchment from her bag, and started to write up a timeline. She worked at it while the other students talked to Scully, then handed it back to her to use as a reference. She also recommended two other books that Scully hadn't considered, but advised her against one of the ones Scully had selected. Scully was amused by Hermione's imperious tone, but grateful for the assistance.

One by one the students drifted away, and Scully resumed her studying. She had lost track of the time when a gentle hand on her shoulder made her jump. It was the librarian. 11:00 at night was closing time, but if Agent Scully would like to check these books out? Scully checked her books out, and walked slowly towards her guest room. There was a lot she wanted to run by Mulder. Maybe she could catch him awake.

Before she got to the guest quarters, she saw some light and heard noise coming from the staff room. Scully hesitated, then poked her head in and peered around. Mulder was in the middle of a group of people, listening to one of the faculty members hold forth. When Mulder saw Scully, he nodded and signaled to her with his drink. Scully nodded back, and looked for a place to sit down. She was thinking that most of the comfortable spots were taken when Dumbledore caught her eye. He was sitting with Snape, a little apart from the crowd. Scully eased herself into a cushioned chair next to them with a sigh, crossed her legs and pushed her glasses on top of her head.

"Professor Snape tells me you're doing research into our history," Dumbledore said to her.

"Yes, if there are no objections to my doing so," Scully replied. "Mme. Pince allowed me to check out these books. I was headed back to my room to read when I heard noise in here."

Dumbledore smiled at her. "Agent Scully, it's almost 11:30 at night. Pace yourself. There's no need to work yourself into exhaustion."

"But the more I know about your world, the more I'll be able to help. And you did say that we needed to be aware of the signs of You-Know-Who's activity."

Dumbledore chuckled. "If you had gone to school here, you would have been at the top of your class. Agent Mulder said you work yourself too hard."

She turned briefly to look at Mulder, still engrossed in the wizard's monologue and thoroughly enjoying himself. Scully thought that he seemed to fit in here better than she did, and certainly better than he did back home. She turned back to the two wizards and said, "I've been reading, but I still have a lot of questions. May I discuss some of these with you two?"

"Of course you may, but not right now. You need to relax a little. Go join your partner. We will continue this discussion at a later time."

Scully nodded to Dumbledore and Snape, then went to join the others in their conversation. Dumbledore turned to Snape, who watched her momentarily before looking down at his hands. "So, she knows?"

Snape replied, "She knows."

Dumbledore said, "Severus, I never required you to tell her. That was your own choice."

Snape nodded. After a few moments, he said, "Regardless, she is still willing to work with me." he almost had a tone of wonder in his voice.

" Severus, wizards aren't the only people who feel a sense of responsibility to their jobs. Agent Scully is a professional. She's been trained to do the job in front of her and not to cut and run at the first sign of danger."

_Just as well she was trained to face danger_, Snape thought. He wondered what would happen if You-Know-Who, in whatever form he was in right now, learned that there were muggles walking the halls of Hogwarts.


	9. Chapter 9

Chris Carter and 1013 Productions own the X-Files. JK Rowling, Warner Brothers and Scholastic own Harry Potter. All I own is this story line, every Harry Potter DVD and a complete collection of X-Files DVD's. I wish I owned Fox Mulder.

A/N This story is set anytime during _Sorcerers Stone_ through _Prisoner of Azkaban_ of HP (although it contains information in all the books) and after X-Files episode "Emily", but before "Requiem".

THE CONFERENCE ROOM

HOGWARTS

After class at the end of the week, Scully recieved a message to report to the conference room as soon as possible. She arrived there at the same time as Mulder, but she had no chance for a private word with him because a group of wizards she recognized from the Ministry of Magic had arrived before they had. She had only been here a week, and at every moment Scully had been very conscious of her muggle status among the wizards; it was for that reason that she was surprised that her first sensation at seeing the Ministry employees was one of annoyance that these "outside" wizards were in "her" Hogwarts. She hated to admit it to herself, but the castle was starting to grow on her. But not to the extent that Mulder liked it, of course. After a meeting where the agents were given a chance to share their findings and analyses, refreshments were served and the guests had a chance to mingle.

A friendly looking wizard that Scully hadn't met before approached her to shake her hand. He introduced himself as Arthur Weasley and introduced his wife, Molly. He seemed anxious to talk to her.

"I never get to meet American muggles, so you don't know what a pleasure this is. " Scully smiled at him, a little amused. He reached into a pocket and pulled out a silver colored object about the size of a saucer. "Would you be so kind as to explain to me the name and purpose of this?"

Scully replied, "That's a computer disk. You store information, or games, or pictures, or whatever you want on it, then when you want to look at it later, you simply insert the disk into a computer, and you can read or look at it."

Weasley looked a little confused, "I think we have a computer at the office, but i'm not sure..."

"It would be about this big." Scully gestured with her hands "and have a screen in the front and that would be where you would read the information. And a keyboard. You know, a flat box with keys with every letter of the alphabet..."

Weasley was pleased. "We do have a computer! Anyway, what about this object?"

"All the newer cars have that. You point this end at the car and push this button and the car will unlock automatically."

"The newer cars?" Weasley frowned a little, thinking.

"Arthur," said Mrs. Weasley, warningly. He turned to look at her, and she shook her head slightly.

"Yes, well, anyhow it sounds sort of like a magic wand," Arthur commented.

"I suppose it would be a little like that." Scully could see a crowd starting to gather, but she didn't mind. She rather liked the idea of explaining muggle culture to people unfamiliar with it.

"This next object is actually a newspaper clipping from an American newspaper. I've saved it for years because I didn't understand it." Weasley handed it over to her.

"This? It's just an advertisement for a yard sale."

"Yard Sale?"

"Yes. You see, if a person has too much stuff and they want to get rid of it, but they don't want to throw it away, they bring it out on to their front lawn , put price tags on everything and sell it to anyone who wants to buy it."

The wizards were quiet as they thought about this. How strange. Imagine dragging your possesions onto the front lawn to sell to just anybody. The muggles seemed nice enough, but they did some peculiar things.

"Okay, Agent Scully. What about this?" He pulled another object out of his pocket and showed it to her. Scully's eyes grew wide and she blushed. Then she stammered.

"I...um...I..." She was at a complete loss, and all eyes were on her. Mulder, who was having trouble smothering a smile, tapped Arthur Weasley on the shoulder and whispered in his ear. Scully took advantage of the interupption to move towards the refreshment table.

"Oh, well, in that case,". Weasley stuffed the object hastily back in his pocket. Scully kept her back turned to the others as she poured herself some tea. She didn't need to turn around to know that Mulder was trying heroically not to laugh, or that Mr. Weasley was blushing. Then Molly Weasley spoke.

"What is it Arthur?"

"I'll tell you later."

"Tell me now."

Scully was putting sugar in her tea when she heard Mr Weasley whisper something to his wife. Then she sensed a movement beside her and looked up to see Professor Snape.

Snape knew something had happened when he walked into the room. He had skirted the others, trying to reach the refreshment table where he had seen Scully. When she had looked up at him with her tight little smile, he could see the fading traces of a blush and wondered what had happened to embarrass Scully. He hadn't thought she would embarrass so easily. Then she lowered her eyes to concentrate on adding milk to her tea. Molly shrieked in outrage.

"Do you mean to tell me you _showed_ that to Agent Scully! That, that thing, which has been in our house for months where our _children_ could see it. That's it. No more muggle objects. Anymore! If you don't know what it is, it doesn't come in the house!"

Snape turned his head in confusion from Weasley to Scully. She seemed to have composed herself enough to take a sip of tea and raise her head. An embarrassed silence seemed to come over the room and Scully turned around to face the room. What in the world could have happened? She took an even bigger sip of tea and was about to swallow it when into the silence, Mr Weasley spoke again.

"Well, I say, it's very easy to see how _that_ muggle artifact could be misused."

That was the last straw. The strain of traveling and meeting new people and trying to adjust to her strange surroundings caught up with her and Scully lost it. She gagged on and spit out her tea at the same time, reached behind her to grab a napkin and clapit to her face, then let out a loud whoop of laughter. With a shaking hand she managed to place her cup and saucer on the table, and by this time all eyes were on her. Mulder caught her eye and he started to laugh. Rocking back and forth with the napkin still pressed to her face with one hand and her other arm across her body, she let out gale after gale of laughter. Tears were streaming down her face and she felt her knees buckle. She looked up at Snape who was staring at her with an expression which was close to alarm. She tried to say something to him but she couldn't stop laughing, so she gave up trying to get the words out and grabbed his arm for support instead. She couldn't stop laughing and gasping and for what seemed like a long time, the room was in an uproar, between the people who understood the joke laughing uproariously and the others begging for an explanation. Slowly, the hilarity started to die down and Scully's laughter became quieter, but her sides ached and she was acutely aware that Snape was supporting her with a hand under her elbow. Still giggling, she looked up into Snape's face. He wasn't laughing, but as he looked down into her flushed, laughing face, she saw, if not exactly a smile, an expression of approval . She held his gaze, still smiling. Then a blush started creeping back into her face, and she let go of him.

"Would you tell me what was so funny, Agent Scully?" He asked in a low voice.

Scully only shook her head. She could never tell him _that_.


	10. Chapter 10

Chris Carter and 1013 Productions own the X-Files. JK Rowling, Warner Brothers and Scholastic own Harry Potter. All I own is this story line, every Harry Potter DVD and a complete collection of X-Files DVD's. I wish I owned Fox Mulder.

A/N This story is set anytime during _Sorcerers Stone_ through _Prisoner of Azkaban_ of HP (although it contains information in all the books) and after X-Files episode "Emily", but before "Requiem".

THE GROUNDS

HOGWARTS

Snape and Scully were walking around the outside perimeter of the castle in the warm afternoon sun--there was a building he wanted to show her that she hadn't seen before. They approached a little stone arch with a narrow stair, barely wide enough for one and a half adults or two first-years. They slowed down as they drew closer to the arch, and Snape allowed her to precede him up the stairs. When she had climbed to the first step, suddenly he touched her wrist and she turned around to face him. They were almost the same height like this.

"Have I been making myself clear regarding the threat we're all under from You Know Who? There's so much more I could show you if you had been born a witch. I could wish you had been--so you could understand all this better."

Scully raised an eyebrow at him before looking away. Almost, she could read a compliment into that statement, and she felt something like a sense of relief. She thought back to when she first met him, and she had been concerned that he wouldn't like to work with a woman. But she had learned since then that it was her muggleness he objected to, not her gender. She was pleased she had advanced this far in working with him--at least he had expressed a desire to help her learn about Voldemort.

"What is it you think I don't understand?" She asked.

"You seem to be learning the facts about everything that happened here. But it's not the same as having lived through it--it can never be the same."

"But why do you assume that I would have to live through it to understand? I'm here as an investigator. Do you expect your Aurors to experience first hand each case they investigate?"

"It's not the same."

"Why not? Because these things happened to your people and not mine? Have you considered that as an outsider I may bring a clearer perspective to the situation than the people who were involved?" She paused then. "But, Professor, if there's something you need to say to help me understand better, just say it."

Before Snape could answer, commotion broke out behind them on the lawn, and above them, on the flight of steps. From around the corner of the building, Scully saw the groundskeeper call out urgently, "Professor Snape, come quickly, you're needed" and take off.

Snape looked at Scully and muttered, "I have to--"

"I'm coming too."

But before they could follow the groundskeeper, Scully heard her name from above and peered up the steps. Mulder was gesturing frantically to her, "Come on, Scully--something's happened and Dumbledore wants us in his office."

"Go with your partner, Agent Scully. I'll handle this," Snape told her.

Scully ran up the stairs, reached the landing and started to follow Mulder, who had only waited long enough to see she had reached the landing. As he tuned the corner with Scully in pursuit, her hand seemed to brush against something silky and she suddenly she brought herself up short, turned, and looked. Nothing there--or was there the faintest little shimmer? She looked around on the floor of the terrace, found a stick, and approached the area where she'd felt the strange sensation, waving the stick gently in front of her. She took a couple slow steps forward. The stick made contact with something she couldn't see, and she heard a quiet, muffled voice. Scully reached out her hand and felt something like the most delicate, watery silk. She grabbed it in her hand, and gently pulled it towards her. In her hand it was silvery gray and _fluid_ and she could see three students very clearly--the three students from the library.

Scully asked, "What were you doing with this?"

Harry looked upset. "We were--we weren't spying on you, honest. You just happened to be where we were." Hermione kicked him and looked sheepishly at Scully.

Mulder ran back and called, "Scully, come ON."

Scully handed the cloak back to the students. "You'd better head inside," she told them. "Something's happened, and your teachers will probably want to make sure everybody's accounted for."

She left with Mulder and they hurried to Dumbledore's office, where they were informed that there had been an attack. It was a student, and he would be okay, but he couldn't identify what had attacked him. It had been out of the blue and seemingly unprovoked and would have to be investigated.

Scully went to the hospital wing to see the victim, but his wound had been minor and Madame Pomfrey had already healed it. The student couldn't describe what had attacked him--no, he hadn't had a good look at it. Scully was frustrated at the lack of evidence for her to work with. She spoke to Madame Pomfrey aside.

"What did the wound look like?"

"Charred black, open to the underlying tissue. About this big." She gestured with her hands.

Scully nodded and frowned. "Madame Pomfrey, I'm afraid I'm not used to the way you fix wounds so quickly, but I need to ask you to do something. If this happens again and it won't endanger the victim, could you wait until after I do an examination before you do the healing? You see, I might be able to learn something about the attacker that way--by examining the wound."

"That's highly irregular, Agent Scully. I'll need to obtain approval from the Headmaster first."

"Thank you--I'd appreciate it."

A conference was held that evening. The other investigators had combed the area where the attack occurred, but they were unable to find the attacker. Dumbledore agreed that Scully would be the first person to examine the victims if possible. It was further decided that the students would not be allowed outside after dark, nor would they be allowed to roam the halls alone--they must have a buddy with them. Mulder and Scully were also urged to avoid roaming the castle alone. If the attacker were indeed You Know Who or one of his minions, muggle defenses against Dark Magic were pretty flimsy.

Scully and Mulder glanced at each other. Most of the cases in their career had involved suspects against which their defenses were flimsy. However, Dumbledore seemed anxious for their safety. Then she turned to look at Snape. He was looking at her intently.

As everybody was filing out of the conference room, Snape pulled her aside. "This is what I was talking about earlier. You haven't encountered anything like this before, and I also strongly urge you not to attempt to investigate this without one of us with you."

Scully agreed.


	11. Chapter 11

Chris Carter and 1013 Productions own the X-Files. JK Rowling, Warner Brothers and Scholastic own Harry Potter. All I own is this story line, every Harry Potter DVD and a complete collection of X-Files DVD's. I wish I owned Fox Mulder.

A/N This story is set anytime during _Sorcerers Stone_ through _Prisoner of Azkaban_ of HP (although it contains information in all the books) and after X-Files episode "Emily", but before "Requiem".

A CORRIDOR

HOGWARTS

A couple days went by without any further incidents, but nobody let their guard down. No one was allowed outside after sunset, and faculty were assigned to patrol the buildings at regular intervals. Snape offered to take Scully with him when he made his rounds--it would give her more opportunity to learn the layout of Hogwarts. Scully was appreciative for the opportunity because it seemed to her that no matter how much time she spent in the castle, there were still new surprises. She could find her way between guest rooms to Great Hall to the Potions classroom and back to the library, but she was continually startled to find a door here she hadn't been aware of or a corridor there she hadn't noticed.

They patrolled late one night along a corridor between dormitories. It was rather chilly, and a large leaded glass window with a view of the Forbidden Forest contributed to the sense of cold. The full moon looked enormous, and illuminated most of the hallway. She drew closer to the window to look out and Snape followed behind. She looked up at the moon, and placed her hand lightly on the glass. "It's so beautiful," she said simply. Snape stepped beside her and took her hands in his, turning her to face him. They looked at each other silently for a moment, then he leaned towards her, pushing back a strand of her hair as he did so.

A door slammed open at the end of the corridor, and they stepped away from each other. Scully turned to see Mulder and Professor McGonagall approaching them.

Professor McGonagall said, "There's been another attack. We are to report to the Headmaster's office". They turned to go and were almost to the door when a loud rumbling was heard from the part of the corridor where Scully and Snape had been standing.

Snape pulled out his wand, turning towards the noise and said, "You three, go to Dumbledore's office--I'll catch up. Go!"

"Not by yourself, Professor. Dumbledore says it's not safe to be roaming by yourself," said McGonagall.

"I'm not one of the students," he replied irritably.

"Scully and I can find our way to the Headmaster's office by ourselves," Mulder said. "It's not that far."

Professor McGonagall looked dubious, but before she could argue, Mulder put his hand on Scully's shoulder. "Let's go, Scully."

"We're leaving the scene?" she murmured incredulously.

"We're going for backup, then you can examine the victim."

Scully turned and followed Mulder as he trotted down the hallway. Suddenly, there was a tremendous cracking sound coming from the ceiling above them and they jumped back as a large chunk of ceiling crashed to the floor. Before the dust had time to settle, there came the sounds of spells being cast by the professors, and the magazines of two guns being slammed into place by the agents. Neither Mulder nor Scully had seen anything unusual up at the ceiling and they watched as Snape and McGonagall used their wands to direct incantations. Although they had their guns aimed, they doubted how much use they would be against whatever was up there.

Eventually, Snape and McGonagall lowered their wands, Mulder and Scully holstered their weapons and the four of them stood looking at each other.

"I don't think that was exactly 'Welcome to Hogwarts'," said Mulder.

"You're saying that was directed at us, Mulder?" Asked Scully.

McGonagall looked uncomfortable. "Just remember, we don't know for sure what that was. But if it were the activity of You Know Who, well, it would be keeping in character for him to attack muggles."

"Is it gone now?" Scully asked.

"If by 'gone' you mean driven off temporarily, it seems that way," muttered Snape.

Mulder walked around the chunk of ceiling, looking at it carefully. Then he hunkered down, pulled out a small plastic bag from his pocket and using a key, scraped some material from the ceiling into it and closed it. McGonagall watched him curiously and Snape, who had been watching the ceiling with an air of expectation, also turned to see.

"We have to report this to Dumbledore--this development," said Professor McGonagall.

"All due respect, I'd like to have a look around here, first," said Mulder.

"Go, Professor McGonagall," said Snape. "Take Agent Scully to Dumbledore's office. We'll be along shortly." He was looking at Scully, who met his eyes before she turned and left with McGonagall.


	12. Chapter 12

Chris Carter and 1013 Productions own the X-Files. JK Rowling, Warner Brothers and Scholastic own Harry Potter. All I own is this story line, every Harry Potter DVD and a complete collection of X-Files DVD's. I wish I owned Fox Mulder.

A/N This story is set anytime during _Sorcerers Stone_ through _Prisoner of Azkaban_ of HP (although it contains information in all the books) and after X-Files episode "Emily", but before "Requiem".

HEADMASTER'S OFFICE

HOGWARTS

Scully and McGonagall arrived at the door of Dumbledore's office to see that Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley were standing outside in the hallway. McGonagall paused to have some serious words with them but Scully went on inside the Headmaster's office. Scully reflected that lately those three students seemed to be everywhere except where they were supposed to be, and she was vaguely grateful that she didn't have direct responsibility for their safety.

Scully noticed that most of the faculty had already assembled. McGonagall rejoined Scully and they made their way to Dumbledore's desk, where McGonagall reported the attack in the corridor to him in low, clipped tones.

"Are you all right, Agent Scully?"

"I'm okay, but what about the earlier victim?"

Dumbledore frowned. "I'll explain everything in this briefing."

"And what about the students outside in the hall...?" McGonagall asked Dumbledore as Scully looked for a place to sit down.

She found a seat at the perimeter of the room and waited for the briefing to begin.

"You all heard there's been another attack," Dumbledore began. "It was one of the kitchen staff and I'm sorry to inform you that he didn't survive. Agent Scully," he turned to look at her, "you will examine the victim?"

Scully nodded. Mulder slipped into the seat next to her.

"And Professor McGonagall has informed me that there was an incident within the last half hour in the third floor corridor by the leaded glass window between Slytherin and Ravenclaw. That section of the corridor is off limits pending investigation and repair. I'll be able to give you more information in the morning. But in the meantime, we need to tighten our security measures. No students are to be in the corridors unescorted by faculty and everybody is to be in their Common Rooms by sundown. We will also place stronger charms and enchantments around the dorms, staff living areas and guest quarters. We'll meet again in the morning before breakfast, and I should have more to tell you at that time."

With that, he dismissed nearly everybody except McGonagall, who went out to talk to her students.

"Agent Mulder, Agent Scully, Professor Snape, would you come here please?"

The three approached Dumbledore's desk

"I'm sure I don't need to impress on our guests the seriousness of the attack in the corridor. I wish I could assure you that it was just a random occurrence and not related to your being muggles, but I'm not that confident." Dumbledore fixed an eye on Scully. "Before you start your autopsy, you need to realize--you'll be working in a venue that's quite different than what you're used to. So I'm thinking I'll assign you an assistant."

"An assistant? But I'm used to working alone."

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled a moment before he replied, "You've met Hermione Granger, yes? I'll have her work with you." He beckoned across the room to McGonagall.

"With all due respect, sir, a post-mortem can be pretty gruesome if you aren't used to it. I've had students pass out on me, and they were adults. Are you sure she..."

"Miss Granger grew up with muggles, and she's our top student. If I didn't think she could handle it, I wouldn't assign her. Besides," he lowered his voice a little, "it will keep her out of trouble for a while. Professor McGonagall, would you please bring Hermione Granger to me?"

McGonagall went and poked her head out the door. While she was summoning Hermione, Dumbledore turned to the men. "What have you found?"

"I took some scrapings from the ceiling material," replied Mulder, handing him the baggie. "There didn't seem to be any visible differences in the section that fell and the rest of the ceiling, but if I could get this analyzed for composition..."

At this moment McGonagall returned with Hermione and Dumbledore said, "Professor McGonagall, please escort Agent Scully and Miss Granger to the unused Herbology classroom down by the kitchens. You'll find the victim there."

McGonagall nodded and started to leave with Scully and Hermione following.

Scully could hear Dumbledore saying, "Agent Mulder, to get back to your question..."


	13. Chapter 13

Chris Carter and 1013 Productions own the X-Files. JK Rowling, Warner Brothers and Scholastic own Harry Potter. All I own is this story line, every Harry Potter DVD and a complete collection of X-Files DVD's. I wish I owned Fox Mulder.

A/N This story is set anytime during _Sorcerers Stone_ through _Prisoner of Azkaban_ of HP (although it contains information in all the books) and after X-Files episode "Emily", but before "Requiem".

THE OLD HERBOLOGY CLASSROOM

HOGWARTS

Professor McGonagall took Agent Scully to her guest room so she could change and collect her equipment, then they all went down to the old Herbology classroom. Scully was a little dismayed to find a small group of faculty had collected outside the door, hoping for admittance, curious to see what would happen.

"If you don't want them to watch, I can send them away," offered McGonagall, but Scully shook her head. If they really wanted to see that badly, she may as well let them see.

They entered the room, and the victim was on the table, covered in a sheet. _Dumbledore must have ordered them to do that_, Scully thought. Buttoning her lab coat over scrubs against the chill of the room, she walked around the sheet, checking for blood or other fluids, and saw none. Then she gowned and gloved, adjusted her goggles and gave a pad and pen to Hermione, telling her to take notes.

"The victim is named Sorfi, a..." Scully began before she pulled back the sheet and paused, startled.

"Agent Scully? Is anything wrong?" Asked Professor McGonagall.

Hermione stepped up, and looked under the sheet, then at Scully. "It's a house-elf, Agent Scully."

_A house-elf. Really._ She thought. But out loud, she said, "Thank you. You can continue taking notes." She paused to gather her thoughts before she continued, "A house-elf who...has been reported as female--of indeterminate age..."

The wizards watched avidly as Scully did the post-mortem examination. Her protective gear was quite odd, and they had trouble following her dictation, although she acted as if she did this sort of thing all the time.

"The subject is 42 lbs in extremis, 42 inches. Derma is greenish and dry--preliminary observation indicates cause of death due to a burn to the chest wall...

"The wound is situated 5cm to the left of the midline of the sternum at approximately..." she felt carefully, "...the fourth intercostal space. Edges of the tissue are blackened. No other signs of trauma apparent."

Scully took tissue samples from the wound for histological examination and prepared the slides, then proceeded to pick up her autopsy instruments. Some of the wizards cringed as she made her first cut. Incising into the body with scalpel and rib cutters seemed very savage, but one did have to make allowances for muggles. Presumably the poor dear was doing the best she could. As for Scully, she proceeded slowly and carefully because she was unsure of what were normal findings for a house elf. She examined and weighed the organs, giving dictation the whole time. After a thorough examination she was ready to give a cause of death.

"She seems to have died from what appears to be lethal electrical stimulation to the heart."

She looked up and explained to the little crowd that she had tests to run on the samples, and while they were welcome to stay, it would probably be very boring.

The crowd started to disperse. Snape had arrived close to the end of the procedure but stayed in the back of the room. It was close to midnight by now, and Scully was starting to feel tired. She had removed her protective gear and was looking for an electrical outlet to plug her microscope into when Snape approached her. "What did you find, Agent Scully?"

"Injuries consistent with electrical burns, but this was the first time I ever saw a house-elf," she muttered while trying to figure out how she was going to turn on her microscope; she remembered that there was no electricity.

Turning to Hermione, she asked her for a little light. Scully either didn't know or had forgotten that magic outside of the classrooms or certain specified times was frowned upon and was arranging her slides as Hermione looked at Snape for permission, which he gave. Hermione spoke an incantation and the little light went on. Scully, peering into the eyepiece and adjusting the knobs had missed this byplay. She merely muttered, "thanks".

Scully looked at one slide then another. She started to frown a little. Then she looked at a third and drew back. She walked over to the body, examined part of the wound, then carefully took a tissue sample from a site remote from the wound area. She came back to the microscope, prepared another slide, and examined it. This time, she drew back with an even deeper frown. She turned to Snape and asked, "Would you find Agent Mulder for me please? Snape turned and left.

While Scully waited for Mulder she pulled up a chair and sat down in it, and invited Hermione to do the same. Then she turned to the girl and said, " Your parents are muggles, am I correct?" Hermione nodded. Scully continued, "Have they ever been here at Hogwarts, or to Diagon Alley?"

Hermione nodded again, "Just Diagon Alley." But she was starting to wonder what was so important about her parents.

"Did they ever mention any odd sensations or effects from passing to and from the magic world?"

Hermione thought hard, and slowly shook her head. "No, Agent Scully, I really can't say they have."

Scully tried another tack. "What about yourself? Did you ever notice anything?"

Hermione shook her head again. Scully sighed a little. She had never completely shaken that peculiar sensation she had that first day they were here. Maybe she was the only one. Then she asked Hermione about the house-elves. Hermione was a lot more helpful on that subject. She knew a little, but she suggested that Scully talk to Hagrid because he knew "everything" about magical creatures. Scully decided she would do that.

When Mulder arrived, Scully drew him aside, towards the table, and unconsciously lowered her voice. She was not used to having outsiders in the room when she and Mulder discussed cases, but she thought it would be rude to send Snape and Hermione away. And besides, they needed them to find their way back to their guest rooms.

"Did you know the victim was a house elf? Have you ever seen a house elf?"

Mulder nodded. "Hagrid introduced me to some of the staff."

"Right. Well, anyhow, you need to see these slides. This is the control slide. I collected this sample from an area remote from the wound. Cellular structure not too unusual. But look at this sample I took from the wound." She inserted the slide into the microscope. "We've seen this before, Mulder, remember? This chevron pattern. The last case before we were assigned here. The attacks in Maine." Scully spoke quietly, arms folded.

Mulder thought for a moment before he spoke, lowering his voice the way Scully had. "Professor Dumbledore did say there was evidence that You-Know-Who was active in North America. Somehow, those cases didn't quite have the feel of extraterrestrial intervention. But, I have to admit, I didn't suspect it was any sort of magical activity."

Scully responded, " How could you have thought so? This whole...place is not like anything we have encountered before now."

Mulder looked like something occurred to him. He started walking around the table, then he peered under the sheet for a few moments. Scully walked up to him. "What is it Mulder?"

"Has it occurred to you there's something we're not being told, Scully, something about why we were brought here. There are people like us--muggles--better versed in this sort of phenomenon than we are right here in the UK. Even in America, they could have found someone better suited for this job. But Dumbledore requested us personally. Why do you suppose?"

They both turned to look at Snape and Hermione. Hermione looked a little ill at ease and was keeping a careful distance from Snape but she was braving it out. Snape merely gazed back at them, expression carefully blank.

Scully turned back to Mulder and he continued, "Obviously, we were getting close to the truth about this world, and they try to avoid notice by our people. Maybe Dumbledore caught wind of our activities."

"In other words, easier to keep us close and keep an eye on us."

"Could be."

Mulder resumed pacing. "But back to the case. So, we know _this_ attack has similarities to the attacks in Maine. But the first attack here, the student's wound was healed before you had a chance to look at it. It's not possible to definitively tie that one in with these. All we know is that it happened only a few days ago. But to tie this in with You-Know-Who, to make the evidence stronger, we would need evidence to compare from a known, documented incident."

Snape and Hermione were still watching this whole exchange and Scully turned to them.

"Professor Snape, our evidence here shows similarities to a case we were working on Stateside. We were informed in briefing that there's been an increase in activity from You-Know-Who recently. I'd like to try to contact the Ministry of Magic for some evidence from earlier. How can I do that?"

"Professor Dumbledore could contact them for you," Snape replied, "but what kind of information do you need?"

"Well...Harry Potter's case in particular, but anything they had. Mostly, blood and tissue samples. Or pathology reports. Anything from the attack when he was a baby. Come here, I want to show you something."

Scully showed him the slides and explained what the findings meant. Snape could see why Scully found satisfaction from this work. He straightened up and stepped back to talk to Scully, which allowed Hermione a chance to look in the microscope.

"Agent Scully, I'm sure Headmaster Dumbledore would be happy to find whatever information you wanted. But, I must warn you. The things you're talking about--blood samples, pathology reports. That's not our way. I would be surprised if any were ever collected."

Scully sighed with frustration. If she could compare Harry's results with these, it might give them more information. If not, she'd have to think of another idea. But she was getting the impression that wizard law enforcement was a very inexact science.


	14. Chapter 14

Chris Carter and 1013 Productions own the X-Files. JK Rowling, Warner Brothers and Scholastic own Harry Potter. All I own is this story line, every Harry Potter DVD and a complete collection of X-Files DVD's. I wish I owned Fox Mulder.

A/N This story is set anytime during _Sorcerers Stone_ through _Prisoner of Azkaban_ of HP (although it contains information in all the books) and after X-Files episode "Emily", but before "Requiem".

**Thank you to everybody who has reviewed. I really enjoy reading them and it helps keep me on course. This story has a lot of hits, but only a trickle of reviews. Let me know what you think?**

KNOCKTURN ALLEY

LONDON

It was late at night when the two muggles, a thirty something year old woman, and a man considerably older, entered The Leaky Cauldron. The woman seemed to know the place well; she nodded gravely to the bartender, then to a seedy-looking wizard sitting at a back corner table. The muggle man observed everything around him while giving the appearance of minding his own business. In any case, if he were uncomfortable in the unfamiliar surroundings, he hid it well.

At a nod from the woman, the seedy wizard slowly arose to his feet and slipped out the back door. The muggles followed him across a dingy little courtyard to the opposite wall, made entirely of brick. The wizard already had his wand out and was tapping bricks, seemingly at random, although he muttered to himself as he did it. The man watched carefully as the wall opened up into an archway that led to yet another street. The woman paid the wizard with a few gold coins, which were gratefully received, then she preceded the man through the arch.

"Stay with me and follow my lead. We're going to a rather rough part of town, but I know how to avoid trouble--I've come here often enough and I have friends..." With that, she speedily led the man through the streets and alleys until they emerged onto a dirty, narrow road, which to his experienced eyes had all the earmarks of seething criminal activity. A sign, which he could barely make out, read "Knockturn Alley".

They passed a few shops with dim, murky interiors, then the woman pulled him into an alley more dingy than Knockturn, and tapped lightly on a door he hadn't even seen.

The door opened a crack, and she whispered, "its Phoebe, let me in."

The door opened a little further and Phoebe entered, with the man following close behind. Then the door shut tight again and the man heard the click of a lock.

As the man's eyes adjusted to the dim light, the woman walked directly up to the wizard she knew was waiting for them. "I've brought him," she whispered.

"I still don't like this, Inspector Green. How are you so sure we can trust him?"

"I'm still not sure I can trust you, Mr. Malfoy. But you both want the same thing, don't you?"

At this point Lucius Malfoy looked over at the man, disliking the intense scrutiny he was receiving. Muggles were becoming more and more insolent as the years went by. The only reason he could tolerate Phoebe Green was because she had done her level best to shield the existence of the wizarding world from nutters like that Momento group headquartered in a muggle town situated too close to Hogwarts for his liking. But Lucius was under no illusions. She hadn't shielded his world out of any altruistic motives. Phoebe worked for Phoebe. But it was useful to have a muggle associate to call on.

"Can I leave you two alone now?" Phoebe asked him. Lucius looked down at her and nodded, and she headed towards the door.

"You have ten minutes, then I'll be back for you," she said to the man before she left.

The two men regarded each other silently for a moment, then the muggle reached into the inside breast pocket of his coat. Malfoy pulled out his wand and pointed it menacingly at the man, green sparks sputtering from the end.

"Is that supposed to frighten me?" The man said dryly as he pulled out a small flat case and flipped it open, selecting one cigarette and putting it in his mouth.

"I want to see your hands at all times," Malfoy replied.

The muggle shrugged, then flipped open a silver cigarette lighter. Cupping his hands around the end of the cigarette, he calmly lit up, then snapped the lighter shut. "Down to business," he said.

Lucius found the muggle's confident attitude extremely off-putting, but he plunged on ahead. "We have something that I understand will interest you."

"If you are referring to Agent Mulder and Agent Scully of the FBI, I already know. You have them somewhere working for you."

Malfoy seethed inwardly. Inspector Green wasn't supposed to have told this muggle. Malfoy wanted to dangle the prize in front of him himself. But it was typical of her, to pull something like this. "Inspector Green tells me you have a...connection to them. I assume that means you want them back."

"I would, but am I to understand that you're willing to go against the wishes of your superiors? I was led to believe your people invited them here. "

This muggle either knew or guessed too much. "Does that surprise you? Does everybody in your world agree on how things should be run all the time?" Malfoy asked.

"We're running out of time here," said the smoking muggle. "I believe we both want the same thing. For the agents to be as far away from your world as possible."

"And if I deliver them to you, what can you offer me in return?"

"For one thing, I'll keep quiet about all this," he replied, waving his cigarette in the air.

"I don't need your assurance of 'silence'. If you become a problem to us, I could have the problem eliminated."

The smoking man shrugged. "I already took certain precautions. If I fail to return, or return...damaged, there's a system in place to--well, let's just say you couldn't possibly erase every memory that would need to be erased. But you wouldn't need to resort to such measures anyway."

"And why is that?"

"Because _I_ have some information I believe will be of interest to _you_."

**Thanks for reading. Please review!**


	15. Chapter 15

Chris Carter and 1013 Productions own the X-Files. JK Rowling, Warner Brothers and Scholastic own Harry Potter. All I own is this story line, every Harry Potter DVD and a complete collection of X-Files DVD's. I wish I owned Fox Mulder.

A/N This story is set anytime during _Sorcerers Stone_ through _Prisoner of Azkaban_ of HP (although it contains information in all the books) and after X-Files episode "Emily", but before "Requiem".

**Thanks to all you wonderful reviewers!**

A CORRIDOR

HOGWARTS

"Yes, Agent Scully, I could have the Ministry send you copies of the Harry Potter case and the other attacks."

They were back in the corridor again early the next morning and this time Dumbledore was with them. The damage would be repaired by that evening--there were spells to repair buildings, so there was no need to bring in outsiders to fix it, but it was still off limits to students.

"But Agent Mulder, I have some concerns about your request to send the ceiling samples to a muggle lab. If their findings were anomalous--unusual--that would draw undue attention..."

"I don't need to send it to a lab. I can send it to some people I know."

Scully and Dumbledore both looked at him, and Dumbledore asked, "Are you referring to your publisher associates? The ones who print _The_ _Lone Gunman_?"

Scully looked at Dumbledore in amazement, and he chuckled and said," Don't look so surprised, Agent Scully. I believe I already told you I read muggle newspapers."

Scully thought that hardly counted as a "muggle newspaper", but she didn't say anything.

"That will be fine, Agent Mulder. I can send it through people I know using muggle methods. Don't worry--they won't be getting any owls."

HAGRID'S HUT

LATER THAT AFTERNOON

Scully stepped inside the hut and saw that Mulder was already there. Hagrid offered her some tea that she accepted gratefully because the afternoon was chilly.

As she drank her tea, Scully stated again why she had asked to come. "Hermione Granger says you know everything about the creatures around Hogwarts. I'm afraid I was at a loss when I attempted the post-mortem on the deceased house-elf. I want to know more about the...species in the area."

"Wha' would you like ter know?"

Scully thought for a minute, her face in a little frown. "I guess we should start with house-elves."

At that he launched into a rather lengthy discussion, starting with house-elves and branching out into other creatures. She glanced at Mulder when he started explaining unicorns, centaurs and hippogriffs, but Mulder only shrugged and nodded. Then Hagrid took them outside to see some of his specimens, and was pleased at her interest and the questions she asked.

Suddenly there was a loud crashing sound in a pen a little apart from the other animals and Scully turned to look. It was an animal like a deer but with dark green wings. She walked over to look at it, Hagrid and Mulder following her.

"It's a chimera, like the hippogriff," she observed. "A mixture of two or more species."

Mulder pulled her to the side and pointed. "It's called a peryton. Stand here, Scully and look at its shadow."

She did as she was advised and was shocked to see it cast the shadow of a human being.

"Where did it come from?" She asked.

"Some people say they originally came from Atlantis," said Hagrid, not seeing Scully raise her eyebrow at Mulder. "But this one...well, I, um, let's say I bartered for it."

"Why a human shadow?" Scully inquired.

"Prob'bly 'cause it eats human flesh," Hagrid replied easily.

She took a couple steps back and turned to him. "But surely, you haven't been..."

"Oh no. Merlin! No, Agent Scully." Said Hagrid hastily. "It also eats roots, tubers, grubs and berries. 'sides, it can only eat one human in the course of its lifetime. Then its soul will be set at ease."

"See Scully?" Mulder grinned at her. "Just one human. Practically a house pet."

OLD TRANSFIGURATION CLASSROOM

LATER THAT NIGHT

Scully did research in the library until quarter to 10 that night. Then she gathered her books and reshelved them. When she stepped out into the hallway Snape was waiting for her and she accompanied him on rounds again. They went back to the scene of the previous night's attack and she walked up and down the corridor, looking at the ceiling, amazed at how quickly it had been repaired.

They paused to rest a while in an old Transfiguration classroom that hadn't been used in many years. They sat at one of the desks and Scully pulled some parchment out of her jacket pocket and spread it out in front of them.

"I can't fault the Ministry for its promptness. The turnaround time for these reports was surprisingly brief," she said. "But it's frustrating--I haven't learned anything new from this--not one thing I didn't already know."

"I did warn you--"

"I know. It's just that I hoped--oh, wizarding forensics is nothing like I'm used to. I don't know how I can be of any help without the proper tools or information."

"The Headmaster is satisfied."

"I'm not," she said as she folded the parchment and put it back in her pocket. She rested her elbow on the desk, chin in hand.

"Agent Scully, you seem to have forgotten that we are all pretty certain that You Know Who is behind the attacks in one way or another. You have been brought here to observe as much as to find evidence. Headmaster Dumbledore is well aware that Dark activity is on the increase and seems to be spreading outward from this area--he said as much in this morning's briefing."

She made a frustrated noise.

"We do things differently in our world," he said as he reached out and touched the rose he transfigured for her that she was wearing in her lapel. "And while you're here you have to accept that."

**Thanks for reading. Of course, if you read this far there must be a reason. Please review and let me know what that reason was!**


	16. Chapter 16

Chris Carter and 1013 Productions own the X-Files. JK Rowling, Warner Brothers and Scholastic own Harry Potter. All I own is this story line, every Harry Potter DVD and a complete collection of X-Files DVD's. I wish I owned Fox Mulder.

A/N This story is set anytime during _Sorcerers Stone_ through _Prisoner of Azkaban_ of HP (although it contains information in all the books) and after X-Files episode "Emily", but before "Requiem".

**Thanks to all you wonderful reviewers!**

POTIONS CLASSROOM

HOGWARTS

The next morning, Scully was sitting in her usual place during the Potions class when the student catty-corner to her got splashed with a boiling liquid and cried out "ouch!" Immediately she slid off her stool and reached over to turn on the faucet. As the icy water poured out through the gargoyle's mouth, she headed to the student. Pushing his sleeve up over the site, she saw that it was already starting to blister and she turned to lead him over to the sink when Snape appeared with an antidote.

"I have it," he muttered and administered a few drops of the potion onto the wound. Then he waved his wand over the injury and started saying the incantation. Their eyes met over the head of the student and Scully slowly walked back to the sink, turned off the faucet and settled herself back on her stool.

As he resumed his lecture, out of the corner of his eye, he could see her looking at him as he taught, and she could see him looking at her as she sat writing busily with her pen.

HEADMASTER'S OFFICE

THAT AFTERNOON

Later that afternoon they received a summons from the Headmaster and joined the others in Dumbledore's office after class.

"We've received the report back from your Mr. Frohike," Dumbledore said.

Mulder was looking over the pages. "Apparently, the chemical analysis from the ceiling pieces revealed a small amount of two substances. These precise compositions are not found in nature, but they are very similar to phosphodiesterases and hyaluronidase. Do you know what those are?" He asked.

Scully nodded slowly. "Yes, Mulder, they're found in snake venoms. The phosphodiesterases lower the blood pressure and hyaluronidase increases tissue permeability--it makes the venom work faster, in other words."

"They were only in the fault line where the ceiling broke off--the control sample showed nothing out of the ordinary," Mulder continued as he handed the report to Scully, who looked at it intently.

"Snake venom was in the ceiling?" Asked Snape, startled.

Scully shook her head, frowning at the pages. "Not precisely. What was found in the sample are chemical analogs,"

"What does that mean, Agent Scully?" Asked McGonagall.

"That they are structurally similar on the molecular level."

"So now you're saying there was some sort of poison in the ceiling?" Pressed McGonagall.

"Not necessarily. While they are structurally similar--well, look here--" she said, pointing to a diagram on one of the papers. "This is the part of the molecule that's different, and the difference could cause the chemicals to have an unexpected effect on the body, an opposite effect or even no effect at all."

"So, it appears that the entity that attacked us left this chemical marker behind," added Mulder.

"But is it dangerous if the substances are still in the ceiling?" That question came from Dumbledore, but Scully suspected he already knew the answer.

"Naturally occurring snake venoms have to be injected into the body," she said, looking directly at the Headmaster. "There would be no danger from merely being in the same room with it."

"Is there any way of knowing for sure how these chemicals would affect a person?" Asked McGonagall.

"Without testing them, no. And that's not something we would want to do, for obvious reasons."

"There's also the question of who would be an appropriate test subject," Mulder mused.

"What do you mean?" Scully asked.

"What if the difference between wizards and muggles is in biochemistry or genetics?"

Scully looked at him, eyebrow raised, but he continued. "If whatever it is that makes the wizarding population capable of magic--if it's actually something on the molecular level, then chemical agents might work differently depending on whether it's a wizard or a muggle who's exposed to it."

"But why snake venom, Mulder? What's the significance of that?"

"It's known that Salazar Slytherin could speak to snakes--the skill is called parseltongue--Voldemort could also do it," replied Dumbledore.

"Did You Know Who keep a snake as a familiar?" Mulder asked him.

"I don't know, but you reported there was no evidence of a corporeal entity."

"What are you getting at, Mulder?"

"Well, Scully, the ancient shamans believed that the spirit of the snake aided exploration of the mysteries of life and immortality. Through the snake the shaman could travel to the spirit world."

"There are plenty of ghosts here. You know who wouldn't have to travel to the spirit world to find them," she said dryly.

"But explorations of immortality--that was something he was interested in--obsessed with, actually. The evidence is getting stronger in the direction of Voldemort." Dumbledore looked pleased, although not surprised by anything that was said today, Scully thought.

THE GREAT HALL

LATER THAT NIGHT

"It feels confining not being allowed outside after dark," Scully said. "And yes, I know it's for security reasons."

"Looking through the ceiling of the Great Hall is like looking directly at the outside," Snape replied. "We can go there after rounds."

When his rounds were completed they went into the Great Hall. It was dark and gloomy with only a few torches burning, but the nighttime sky was clearly visible. Scully sat down on one of the benches to see the view.

"Do you find that muggles react differently to potions than do your people?"

"I don't make potions for muggles. But it's well known that some potions do react differently. Things are--"

"Different here. Yes. You already said that." Sighing, she stood up and walked slowly towards the dais where the faculty ate. "You know, I can never look at the stars anymore without wondering if _they_ are up there and what they're thinking."

"'They', Agent Scully? Who are 'they'?"

"Just look up, Professor Snape. Did you know that scientists have discovered planets rotating around some of those stars?"

"No..."

"Surely there must be life on some of them. Maybe even intelligent life. Intelligent enough to look into their sky, see our star and wonder if there is anyone here wondering about them there."

"People from other planets?" He scoffed. "Surely no reasonable person believes they exist."

Scully gave a dry little chuckle. "And where I come from, most people wouldn't believe _you_ exist." She turned to look at him. "That sounds flippant. But, think about it. You've all done a good job of hiding yourselves." Scully pressed on. "Don't any of you believe there might be extraterrestrial life?"

"We don't really give it a second thought. We have other, more pressing concerns than to wonder about what's going on other planets. But no, I don't think most of us take that notion seriously. We just dismiss it as silly muggle superstition. "

Scully laughed mysteriously. "A few years ago I was assigned to investigate the X-Files--the unexplained cases. I was supposed to prove them all as hoaxes, as the products of overactive imaginations. But, I wasn't able to. Furthermore, I learned a little more than was good for me. And yes, I've seen evidence of things that were very hard to explain away. But the most disturbing thing of all," She sat down on the dais and looked at Snape with a serious, intense gaze. "Is that there are people who are willing to kill randomly and without remorse to hide their secrets." Unconsciously, her hand went to the back of her neck. "Sometimes they are people you always assumed were on your side."

"That happens here too." He said as he sat down next to her. "You can't always be sure who's working against you."

"I thought you said things were different here," she said, quietly.

"I did say that. But some things are the same." He leaned towards her then, and this time they weren't interrupted.

**Thanks for reading. Of course, if you read this far there must be a reason. Please review and let me know what that reason was!**


	17. Chapter 17

Chris Carter and 1013 Productions own the X-Files. JK Rowling, Warner Brothers and Scholastic own Harry Potter. All I own is this story line, every Harry Potter DVD and a complete collection of X-Files DVD's. I wish I owned Fox Mulder.

A/N This story is set anytime during _Sorcerers Stone_ through _Prisoner of Azkaban_ of HP (although it contains information in all the books) and after X-Files episode "Emily", but before "Requiem".

**Thanks to all you wonderful reviewers!**

GUEST QUARTERS

HOGWARTS

Mulder was startled awake by the sound of footsteps outside his door. He reached over to the night table to check his watch and sat up abruptly, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. The sound was muffled through the stone walls, but he could hear Scully talking to Professor Snape. Then he heard the key rattling in the lock of her door and the sound of Snape's footsteps dying away down the hall, away from the guest quarters.

Mulder stared into the darkness for a moment before he got up and headed to Scully's door.

"Scully, can I come in? It's me, Mulder."

"Yeah, Come on in."

Mulder walked in to see Scully sitting Indian-style on her bedspread, notebook open on her lap and ballpoint pen poised in the air. Her jacket was off, hair pulled back into a ponytail and she was wearing her glasses. He sat down on the edge of the bed.

"What are you doing, Scully?"

"Field report. On paper, nonetheless. I really miss my laptop."

"How elaborate are you going to make it? You're not supposed to take anything back to our world."

"This is for Dumbledore. Of course, I'll write up a brief summary for Skinner, but I have no idea what he'll do with that."

"Line his birdcage, probably."

Scully sniffed. "You're probably right. But old habits die hard."

Mulder was silent for a while. Then he spoke. "It's really late, you know."

"Yes, I know, Mulder." She had her head down and she was writing.

"Is everything all right, Scully?"

"Of course. Why wouldn't it be?"

"No reason. I was just concerned you'd run into trouble tonight. With it being so late and all."

"I told you, there was no trouble." She looked at him very calmly.

"I'll take that as my cue to leave," he said as he stood up. But he paused at the door. "If you need anything..."

Scully looked at him, her eyebrow raised.

"Okay, okay, I'm leaving now."

After he left, Scully pushed up her glasses and rubbed the bridge of her nose wearily.

McGonagall met them outside their quarters early the next morning. "We need you right away, but don't worry, we'll send breakfast over. I'm to take you both to Hagrid's hut. One of his creatures was killed sometime last night. He just found it today."

GREAT HALL

NOON

Snape was standing by the door to the great hall, watching the students file past him to go to lunch when Mulder and Scully arrived in the entrance with a distraught looking Hagrid. The two agents were quietly conversing with the gamekeeper, but Scully caught Snape's eye and he nodded to her almost imperceptibly. She returned his nod and he turned his attention back to the students

"You ready for lunch?" Asked Mulder, patting her shoulder lightly.

"You go on ahead. I'll be in shortly." She stood and waited until the foyer was empty of students and staff.

Snape shut the door and made his way over to her. "What happened?"

Scully shoved her hands in her pockets and started to walk away from the Great Hall doors. He fell in with her.

"It was the peryton," she said quietly, not wanting to be overheard. "Attacked in the same manner as the house-elf and presumably the student."

He was quiet, frowning.

"Hagrid said perytons are impervious to all muggle weapons and most wizarding...weapons," Scully continued. Actually Hagrid used the terms _spells_ and _hexes_, but Scully still felt uncomfortable using such words to describe wizarding defense.

"That's right. It takes powerful magic to destroy a peryton. Most wizards would not be capable of it."

"Is it dark magic?"

"Not necessarily. But it requires very strong powers."

Scully stopped. "But why the peryton? What's the _point_ of killing a peryton?"

"Why do you assume there was a point to this killing?"

"Because nearly every crime has a motive. Nearly every human action has a motive. People almost always have a reason for the things they do."

She met his eyes then, and they both looked away.

THE CORRIDORS

HOGWARTS

Snape met Scully outside the library that night.

"I couldn't find anything that would give a clue as to why the peryton was killed," she said.

Snape only shrugged. While they patrolled, she asked, "Would you explain something to me? I know what 'muggle' means--someone with no magic. But what does 'mudblood' mean precicely?"

He looked at her sharply. It wasn't a word usually said in polite company, but she didn't seem to realize she'd said something rude.

"It means somebody who has non-magic parents."

"Is that bad?"

"That's the opinion of some of the pure-bloods. It was an opinion shared by You Know Who."

Scully nodded. Predjudice in general was nothing new to her. But to have it directed against people who didn't have magic ancestry was a new concept.

"The longer I'm here the easier it is to forget that there is a world outside Hogwarts--one that I'm part of. I'll have to ask the Headmaster if I can borrow his old newspapers."

"Personally, I rarely leave the wizarding world. I have no need to. And no desire, either."

"Don't you find it confining being stuck in one place?"

"No. You don't seem to understand. Our world is bigger than Hogwarts or the Ministry of Magic. We're everywhere, in every country, including yours. Staying in the wizarding world doesn't mean being isolated. You could even have wizarding neighbors and not know it."

"So your people don't actually have restrictions against associating with muggles? Then why did we need special permission to come to Hogwarts?"

"There's no law against mingling with muggles, but it's not encouraged, either. Unfortunately, getting too close to muggles has lead to complications in the past."

She looked at him steadily, but he gave her look for look.

"What types of complications?" She ventured.

"For instance, the complication of muggles wanting all their problems solved magically, then not understanding why the wizard is unwilling or unable to help them. That leads to anger and hurt feelings and worse."

"Did that ever happen to you?"

"I never got close enough to a muggle to find out."

She stared at him, then shrugged. "We _muggles_ needn't bother turning to magic to solve our problems, if you ask me. You people certainly have problems of your own, don't you?"

Her sarcastic tone put him on the defensive. "Maybe we do, but that doesn't stop some of your people from trying, doesn't it? I know all about your good luck charms and superstitions. What is all that other than a feeble attempt to control the universe?

"I won't speak for all muggles," she said hotly, "but have you ever seen me do anything superstitious? And you couldn't possibly have known enough muggles to make those sweeping generalizations. You admit you spend all your time in the magical world."

"I spent enough time with muggles to know how they think."

"No, I don't think you have. Besides, it's easy enough to wave a magic wand and say some magic words and make wishes come true, but a lot harder to have to think and reason solutions to your problems--which is what muggles do everyday."

They walked in stony silence for a long time.

"I know you're not superstitious, but you have to admit that many of your people are," he said.

"Thanks for the compliment. Or whatever that was."

"What I was trying to say is my people have certain...gifts...that would be very valuable to your people. Therefore, we have to keep our existence a secret."

Scully scoffed. "If I were you, I wouldn't brag about having special 'gifts' until wizards can eliminate human suffering... or bring the people we love back from the dead," she murmured quietly, her face turned away from him.

He looked at her sideways. After a long moment he said, as quietly as she, "Nobody has the power to bring people back from the dead."

When she didn't look at him, he took her hand. She still didn't look at him, but she didn't pull her hand away, either.

"Dana?" He said. "Agent Scully?" He drew her to him and after a moment's hesitation she put her arms around his neck. He bent down and whispered, "Would you like..."

At that moment they heard a voice say "Severus..." They stepped apart--it was Dumbledore. After a pause he said, "...and Agent Scully?" There was a longer, uncomfortable pause before he continued. "A word with you in my office. Both of you."

In silence they followed Dumbledore through the winding corridors. Scully wanted to glance at Snape, but decided against it. She was sure being summoned to the Headmaster's office in the middle of the night did not bode well.

When they were in Dumbledore's office he motioned for them to sit. He looked at them both closely without speaking for a moment. Scully resisted the urge to look away. Then he folded his hands and leaned forward.

"It seems we have another problem. No, not an attack. But there have been reports of muggles in Hogsmeade."

"Have they done anything illegal?" Asked Scully.

"Not that we can tell. There've only been sightings, and they don't seem to be doing anything other than lurking. But it's highly irregular and needs to be investigated."

"Can't the Ministry investigate?"

"They say they're going to, but I don't have much confidence in them right now. I'd rather know what's going on without going through Ministry reports. Tomorrow night, Severus, I want you to go to Hogsmeade." Dumbledore looked intently at the young woman sitting composedly with her hands in her lap and seemed to come to a decision. "And Severus, take Agent Scully with you."

Dumbledore saw how Snape glanced at Scully quickly before nodding to him, although he seemed strained.

"If that's what you want, Headmaster."

"It is what I want." Dumbledore turned to Scully. "We generally don't allow muggles in Hogsmeade, you see. In fact, muggles can't even find Hogsmeade unless they've been brought there by a wizard."

"But you want me to go?" She asked.

"Anti-muggle security has already been breached. Besides, I think you'll be an invaluable help," Dumbledore replied enigmatically.

**Hope you liked it! Please review and let me know.**


	18. Chapter 18

Chris Carter and 1013 Productions own the X-Files. JK Rowling, Warner Brothers and Scholastic own Harry Potter. All I own is this story line, every Harry Potter DVD and a complete collection of X-Files DVD's. I wish I owned Fox Mulder.

A/N This story is set anytime during _Sorcerers Stone_ through _Prisoner of Azkaban_ of HP (although it contains information in all the books) and after X-Files episode "Emily", but before "Requiem".

**Thanks to all you wonderful reviewers!**

GUEST QUARTERS

HOGWARTS

"I'd feel better if I were going with you, Scully."

"I'll be fine, Mulder. Dumbledore just wants us to have a look around Hogsmeade." They were in Scully's room. She was curled up in the armchair, head leaned back, eyes closed. Mulder was sitting up on her desk.

He looked at Scully curiously. "You just came off another late night. This is starting to become a habit."

"Well, I could hardly help it if the Headmaster wanted to talk to us, could I?" She replied irritably.

"Hey, you don't need to get defensive."

"I'm not defensive, Mulder. I'm just tired of being interrogated if I come back at an hour you think is too late."

"Okay, okay, don't bite my head off." He stood up and headed towards the door. "Maybe a night out will be good for you after all. As long as you don't come back as cranky as you are now."

He slipped through her door and shut it just as she reached out and threw her pillow at it.

HOGSMEADE

FOLLOWING EVENING

"Do you think you understand a little better what our world is like now that you've seen an entirely wizard town? Can you see how Hogwarts is only a small part of it?" Snape and Scully were walking down the main street of Hogsmeade. She was trying to be alert for signs of anything unusual at the same time she was trying not to stare. She was hindered by not knowing what passed for unusual in a wizarding village. To her, most of what she was looking at was strange. But Snape didn't seem to notice anything amiss and she was taking her cues from him.

"I'm surprised they don't headquarter the Ministry of Magic in a place like this," Scully remarked.

"Other people have suggested that. But the Ministry would rather be situated where they can keep a watch on muggles more easily. Hogsmeade is protected by the same powerful charm that the school is under--no muggle can find it on their own. And time and space do have a bearing on magic. The Ministry _could_ monitor the muggle world from afar, but it's much easier to observe it up close. It's easier for them to follow important muggle events if they're headquartered in London."

Scully stopped and leaned against a lampost. "We've been up and down the streets of Hogsmeade all evening. I could use a bite to eat. I suppose your people don't have drive-thru's."

"I know a place we can go."

He took her to The Three Broomsticks. Scully would have laughed at the name if she hadn't seen it with her own eyes--people flying on actual broomsticks at the Quidditch match. He found an out-of-the-way table where they could avoid drawing attention to themselves. Despite this, she felt very conspicuous in her muggle clothes and she was aware of being the target of some curious glances--and some were not entirely friendly.

"Try this," Snape said, pushing a glass across the table at her as she ate some roast chicken.

"What is it?"

"It's called butterbeer."

"Beer? Are you suggesting drinking on the job?" She asked him archly, but she took a sip. "It's very sweet. And," she paused, surprised. "It warms you up inside. This would be great to have on an overnight stakeout, except I need my coffee to stay awake. I suppose too much butterbeer would put you to sleep."

"You're wrong. It won't intoxicate you unless you're a house elf."

She nodded. "Well, anyway, nobody we've talked to seemed to know anything about muggles in Hogsmeade--except for a few who looked at me as if they expected me to explode at any moment. Is it possible the Headmaster made a mistake?"

"It's highly unlikely. Dumbledore has contacts everywhere. Somebody is letting muggles in here and we'll see if we can find out who."

Scully peered around the Three Broomsticks. It looked like any other pub she'd been in, but with small differences. It was dimly lit, but no electric lighting; there was music, strange but naggingly familiar; the patrons were a rather quiet lot, but they were all dressed in wizard clothes, like the staff at Hogwarts. Scully, who was not known for flashy dressing, who blended in perfectly at FBI Headquarters, felt like _she_ stood out.

She picked a little at her food. "So, is there an advantage to being pure-blood? Is it supposed to make you a better wizard or more powerful or something?"

Snape looked at her warily. The last time they tried to talk about muggle-wizard relations they wound up quarreling. He lowered his voice. "There isn't any relationship between one's level of skill and how much wizard ancestry one has. But being pureblood confers status."

"Why?" She pressed.

"Because it's increasingly rare with each passing generation."

"So You Know Who was pureblood?"

Snape hesitated before answering _no_.

"He hated muggles even though he was part muggle?" She looked at him narrowly.

"It might seem illogical to you, but..."

She interrupted him. "Actually, that sounds like a type of conversion reaction--a psychological phenomenon whereby somebody tries to force themself to feel and act a particular way, rejecting the way they would be expected to feel under the same circumstance. For some reason he hated that part of himself, which led him to reject not only the muggle part of himself, but all other muggles. Sometimes prejudice has its roots in conversion reactions."

"You Know Who was rather more complicated than that. Don't make the mistake of thinking you can put him into some neat little box with a fancy label. All those who underestimated him ended up dead."

Scully shrugged. "_Everyone's_ complicated. And I've learned over the years not to underestimate suspects." She paused, looked at him and lowered her voice even more. "Severus, are you a pureblood?"

He stared at her with an inscrutable expression before shaking his head slowly. "Muggle father."

They looked at each other before Scully looked down at her plate and pushed the food around with her fork. When she looked up again, he was still staring at her with that same inscrutable look.

"I'm not going to psychoanalyze you, if that's what you're thinking," she said. "Although I am curious. What was it like?"

"They fought constantly. I think he was afraid of her. And with good reason."

"Because of her...powers?"

"It was a relief to come to Hogwarts as a student," he said, bypassing her question. "To get away from all that. Don't give me any sympathy," he added, looking at her closely.

"I wasn't planning on it," she answered mildly. "Maybe we should take another look around Hogsmeade--perhaps the mysterious muggle will show up later."

Some time later they were standing outside what seemed to Scully to be a clothing boutique when Snape saw a wizard he recognized and stepped forward.

"Good evening. I'd like a word with you?"

The wizard looked at Scully and nodded reluctantly.

Snape continued as if he hadn't noticed the wizard's reluctance. "Have you happened to notice anything unusual around here lately? Any muggles, either alone or with wizards?"

"What do you call her?" The wizard asked irritably.

"She's here on special assignment."

Scully pulled out her badge to show him, but before she could talk he interupted, "Oh yes. Dumbledore's pet project. Well forget it. I don't care what agency you're with, I'm not talking in front of any strangers, muggle or wizard."

Scully and Snape glanced at each other and Scully murmured, "You know, there was something I wanted to see in that shop window anyway. I'll go..." And she put her badge inside her jacket pocket and started to walk down the street.

When the wizard was satisfied that Scully was too far away to hear, he said, "There has been a muggle lurking around here. Some woman in a cloak.--No, I don't know her name, can't get close enough to talk to her--every time she sees somebody coming she hurries away..."

Meanwhile, Scully pulled her duster closer around herself even though she was still warm from the butterbeer. She looked around at the buildings of Hogsmeade. Stepping into the wizarding world was like walking into a foreign country. The streets, the buildings, even the foliage were similar enough to be recognizable, but it had its own distinct flair--it was _different_.

All of a sudden she heard a _psst_ and a shuffling coming from an alley and turned to look, her hand inching towards her service weapon.

"Oh please, don't shoot!" Came a hoarse whisper.

"Who's in there? Come out where I can see you."

"I'll come, I promise I'll come, but please don't make any more noise."

"Come out, hands where I can see them," Scully directed, although she lowered her voice. She kept her eyes on the alley and her hand where she could grab her gun quickly if necessary. But she beckoned the person to come forward. It was a woman who looked to be in her mid-forties who approached slowly, eyes darting quickly from side to side.

"Don't shoot me. I want to talk to you," the woman pleaded.

"What makes you think I would shoot you?"

"You have a gun, don't you? I thought FBI agents never surrendered their weapons?"

"What makes you think I'm with the FBI?" Scully asked.

"Never mind that--it's not important right now. What I need to tell you is--that man you're with--he's one of _them_."

"What man are you talking about?"

"Stop being coy with me--there isn't enough time. I've been watching you all night. That man you're with--I know he's a teacher at some secret school around here. But he's one of them--a memory stealer. Here, take this--you may want to contact us later. Of course, if he steals your memory you won't remember our having this talk, but you'll have our phone number and email address. Everything you need to know is in here." With that she pressed a folded paper into Scully's hand. "Don't look at it here! Put it away, put it away!"

The woman was so insistent that Scully, unwilling to have her make a scene, pushed the paper to the bottom of her pocket.

The woman kept talking. "What you have to understand, is they're not like us--they're not quite human..."

They heard footsteps and turned to see Snape approach them. Snape looked piercingly at the woman. "Is there a problem here?" He asked, still staring at the woman.

She pulled herself up and gave him stare for stare; although it was obvious she was frightened. "I can be here if I want. I know my rights--this street is not private property." But she was starting to back away.

Scully reached out a hand to her. "Can we talk to you for just a moment?"

But the woman shook her head. Giving Scully a meaningful glance, she took off at a brisk trot, then turned down the alley and disappeared.

"Should we pursue her?" Scully asked.

"No. Dumbledore just wanted us to gather information. What did she say to you?"

"She said...you were a memory stealer."

Snape shook his head. He looked disgusted.

"Do you know what she's talking about?" Scully pressed.

"She belongs to a group called Momento. They're trying to spread the word about us--inform the public, as it were. But they don't understand anything about us."

"But why the term _memory stealer_?"

"That is the result of some botched memory charms. Wizards who haven't been thoroughly trained in the art shouldn't attempt them."

"I thought magic wasn't supposed to be used against muggles."

"It's not. But we can't risk the exposure of our world, either. When we have to, we use memory charms. Don't look so shocked, Dana. You muggles do something similar to each other, only with medicine. What do you call scopolamine, rohypnol, versed..."

"They're called amnesiacs. But scopolamine and versed are used in legitimate surgery under controlled conditions. Rohypnol is illegal in the States. And the only people who would use it are those who want to perpetrate a crime against another person without that person remembering anything."

"We have similar laws regarding memory charms. They're only to be used sparingly and only for the protection of our world..."

xXxXxXx

Phoebe Green watched from her hiding place, irritated. The Memento woman was only supposed to make contact with Scully and not any of the witches or wizards. But no, she had to go and talk to a wizard. The little idiot.

But then Phoebe got a closer look at the wizard and almost gasped out loud, almost gave herself away. It couldn't be, could it? Severus Snape? Phoebe was stunned. How many years had it been since she'd seen him? But it didn't matter. She had to find that Momento nutter first.

The woman ran up to Phoebe at their pre-arranged meeting place, breathless and panting. Phoebe grabbed her roughly by the arm.

"Whatever possessed you to talk to that man?"

But the woman had more spirit than Phoebe had given her credit for. She wrenched her arm away and asked angrily, "Who are you to tell me what to do?"

"My instructions to you were clear--you were only to talk to that American FBI agent I pointed out to you."

The Memento woman sniffed contemptuously, which only made Phoebe angrier.

"Listen," Phoebe said. "You owe me. If it hadn't been for me you could never have even gotten into Hogsmeade."

"Don't you dare tell me what I _owe_ you," the woman hissed. "I know you think we're all crazy. I know you've been covering up for the memory stealers. And after we trusted you and brought you into our meetings. I let you stay in my _house_, and then you covered up for them."

"Oh stop being such a child--you know how good they are at covering their tracks. What would it have served if I came forward with what I know? I would have been laughed at and ridiculed and I decided it wasn't worth the hassle. You don't really think your little group can expose their whole world, do you? Why don't you grow up?"

"Then I guess we're even. But all the same, I happened to recognize that wizard. What's more, I think he recognized me."

xXxXxXx

A short time later Phoebe slipped through the streets of Hogsmeade alone, quickly and not stopping until she was in sight of Scully and Snape. After taking a deep breath, she approached them boldly.

"Severus? Severus Snape, is that you? Oh, hello...Scully."

Snape's eyes widened slightly. "Phoebe Green, what a surprise," he muttered ungraciously. Scully just peered at her, not wanting to give her the satisfaction of acting surprised.

"Inspector Green," Phoebe corrected him. "Of Scotland Yard. Well, it's been a long time, hasn't it? I think I was in college the last time I saw you." Then, as if just remembering Scully was standing there, she explained, "Severus and I grew up on the same street. We even went to the same school, at first. At least until he transferred out. When was that? I guess we were eleven years old or thereabouts."

"What do you want, _Inspector_ Green?" He asked in barely civil tones.

"I'd like to have a word with you."

He agreed reluctantly. As she drew him aside, she called over her shoulder to Scully, "Say hello to my good friend Mulder, will you?"

It wasn't lost on Snape the way Scully rolled her eyes.

When she had drawn him off to the side, Phoebe looked at him with some amusement. "She hates me, you know. But I didn't come here to talk about that." She put her hands on her hips. "So this is your big secret? You're a wizard? When you left school, it must have been to go to Hogwarts."

"What do you want, Phoebe?"

"I must say, I'm quite disappointed you couldn't tell all this to an old friend from the neighborhood like me."

"We weren't exactly friends," he replied sardonically.

"But you wanted to be," she countered as she swayed towards him suddenly. "I seem to remember you making your feelings quite clear to me on that subject. In fact, there was that time you..."

He stepped back just as suddenly. "That was a long time ago. Besides, it should have been obvious, even to you, that I'd..."

"...Had too much to drink," she laughed scornfully. "Blame it on alcohol if it makes you feel better. But I wasn't fooled then and I'm not fooled now."

"How did you get in here?"

"I don't have to answer to you. And don't even think about using legilimency on me. I happen to be under a protective charm. Oh, don't look so surprised. Yes, I know all about legilimency and occlumency. But I'm not here to talk about that." She looked over at Scully, who was standing and staring fixedly at a point between two of the buildings. "So, how do you like having muggles around your precious school? Word around town is you deem yourself to be high above us non-magical people. It must be galling to have to work with Scully."

"I'm sure I don't know where you've been obtaining your dubious information, but I'm warning you, Phoebe, you better be sure who you're dealing with. How do you know you're not being used by your wizarding contact?"

"How does he know he's not being used by me?" She asked softly. "Severus, you should know by now I can take care of myself."

"Don't make the mistake of thinking that dealing with wizards is the same

is dealing with muggles."

Phoebe laughed shortly. "Actually, I find that men are men, whether they're wizards or muggles." Then she winked at him.

xXxXxXx

Once again, Scully was left to her own devices while Snape talked quietly to somebody. Somebody in _his_ world. She walked down the main street of Hogsmeade in desultory fashion, trying to notice anything out of the ordinary. But she stopped at another shop window, looking at the selection of brooms, when she became aware of a sudden, tiny flash of light coming from a small copse of trees to the left of the building, a light which vanished just as suddenly. She glanced back at Snape, but he was in deep conversation with Phoebe Green. She took a couple tentative steps towards the place where she'd seen the light. It was might have been nothing, but all the same, she rubbed the back of her neck when she felt her hair prickle.

xXxXxXx

"Stop it! Don't light that, we'll be seen," Lucius Malfoy hissed as he hurriedly cast an Invisibility Charm over himself and his muggle companion.

But the muggle looked unimpressed as he slipped his lighter back in his pocket. "I'm quite positive you assured me we _wouldn't_ be seen. Can you wizards do that particular trick or not?"

"She's looking right at us."

The muggle brought the cigarette to his lips, inhaled, peered intently at Scully. If it weren't for the Invisibility Charm they would be staring at each other face to face. "But she's not seeing us, I'm sure. You wouldn't allow her to _see_ us, I trust." He turned to look at Malfoy.

Malfoy glared back at him for a few moments, looking like he wanted to put a curse on him. But then he took a breath and forced himself to speak calmly. "Well anyhow, she's here--and I've delivered on my side of the bargain. Now it's your turn, I believe?"

"Wait just a minute--what do you mean by you've delivered?"

"As even you can see, she's standing right there."

"But our agreement was that you would deliver both of them."

"How was I supposed to know Albus Dumbledore was going to separate them?" Malfoy replied irritably.

The muggle inhaled again, then turned back to face Scully, who apparently decided she hadn't seen anything important after all--for she had turned away and was walking towards the wizard Phoebe had been talking to. But Phoebe herself was gone. "Funny--you insisted you knew how his mind worked."

Malfoy struggled to be reasonable. "Look. If you take _her_, Agent Mulder would come looking for her, right?"

"Absolutely. But is that what you want? A muggle loose in your world?"

"He wouldn't be loose for long. We could catch him easily, then release him to you."

The muggle shrugged. "Maybe, maybe not. Take this as some friendly advice--you don't want a loose cannon like Fox Mulder wandering around your world unsupervised and uncontrolled. I'm doing you a favor by _not_ taking her."

"I still think this is your best chance. There might not be another opportunity to get to her, especially since Phoebe Green seems to have been fighting with that Memento nutter we were using as bait. I hope Phoebe put her in some place safe...I assure you--now is the time to abduct Agent Scully."

"Abduction--how inelegant," the muggle muttered. "But as you can see, it's too late now, anyway. You seem to have overlooked something--she's not here with Mulder, but she's still not alone. How would that wizard she came with account to Dumbledore if anything happened to her?"

Malfoy sniffed dismissively. "Him? He's on our side. He doesn't like muggles here anymore than I do."

The muggle peered closely at Scully--who had now rejoined Snape--and shook his head. "Even if that's so--and it doesn't look to me like he is on your side--he would still have to answer to his superiors if anything happened to her. No, I'm afraid it's no deal."

xXxXxXx

"Did you see anything unusual while I was talking to Inspector Green?"

"I thought I saw a light flash, but when I investigated the area, there seemed to be nothing there," Scully replied.

They looked together in the alley, but as Malfoy and the muggle had already left the scene, neither of them saw any evidence of unusual activity.

"It's getting late, anyway," Snape said. "How do you want to get back? Floo could take us right to Dumbledore's office. There's also Portkey or broom."

"Portkey was too dizzy. And I've done Floo. It made me feel disoriented. Why does every means of transport in your world have to be uncomfortable? But broom? I don't know--can't we walk?"

"We could, but it's several miles between here and Hogwarts, walking in the dark. Not to mention it's not paved."

"The Ministry's not big on infrastructure, is it?" She couldn't help showing a bit of sarcasm. "Oh...broom...I guess..."

With more than a little trepidation, she climbed behind him on the hovering broom, wrapped her arms around him tightly and leaned her cheek against his back. He kicked off and she gasped at the rapidity of ascent, squeezing her eyes shut. The air rushed past them noisily, making conversation impossible. She peeked once or twice, but it was too dark to see anything and she shut her eyes again. She held tighter when she felt the decent, although it seemed they were slowing, rather than accellerating, so she wasn't afraid.

He dismounted first while the broom was still hovering and took her hands to help her dismount. Once safely on the ground she ran a hand through her hair and crossed her arms. The gates of Hogwarts were several yards ahead of them, but when she looked back the broom was still hovering. Snape muttered something she couldn't hear properly and the broom inverted to an upright position, still floating. To Scully it seemed to be following him.

"Wow. That was...different...that was..." she gestured helplessly then shrugged.

He tried to project an attitude of careless unconcern, but he was watching her intently.

She shivered slightly. "I think the butterbeer's worn off. It's chilly out here."

"Well, it will be warm up at the castle." He muttered _lumos_ and the tip of his wand glowed to light the way. He took her hand and started to lead her to the gate. But before they got to the gate he stopped and peered at her.

"Unless," he said, pulling her closer, "Unless you want to rest a moment, first."

She nodded agreement, so he led her a short distance around the wall to where a depression in it made a sort of bench. He sat down and drew her down by him. She shivered again and he unclasped his robe and pulled it around them both.

"It's strange here," she said. "Sort of a no man's land. Not Hogwarts, not Hogsmeade. And it's not my world, definitely not D.C. Is it safe here, in such an out-of-the-way place?"

"The precautions they've taken at the school are only in effect at the school for the safety of the students--and you. They're not taking any unusual precautions in Hogsmeade. But is it safe here?" He looked down at her and slipped an arm around her waist. "Is any place completely safe? Are you safe in D.C.?"

"That depends on how you look at it," she said ruefully.

"You're under enchantments here," he continued. "Right now, certain types of magic can't touch you."

"Are you trying to convince me I'm safe right here, right now, alone with you?"

He couldn't decipher her tone of voice and it was too dark to see her clearly. After a moment's pause he crushed her to him and kissed her vehemently. She threw her arms around his neck.

After some time went by, Scully drew back a little and ventured to ask, "Don't we need to go up to Hogwarts? Isn't Dumbledore waiting for our report?"

"Yes--he is waiting," Snape murmured against her throat. "But do you want to go up?--_now_?"

She tightened her arms around him--but didn't answer.

**Hope you liked it! Please review and let me know.**


	19. Chapter 19

Chris Carter and 1013 Productions own the X-Files. JK Rowling, Warner Brothers and Scholastic own Harry Potter. All I own is this story line, every Harry Potter DVD and a complete collection of X-Files DVD's. I wish I owned Fox Mulder.

A/N This story is set anytime during _Sorcerers Stone_ through _Prisoner of Azkaban_ of HP (although it contains information in all the books) and after X-Files episode "Emily", but before "Requiem".

**Funny thing---now that DH has been released, nearly every story on this site is AU, now isn't it? Anyway, sorry for the long delay in uploading this—had to go on vacation (and finish Deathly Hallows) and other stuff. Hope you like!**

HOGWARTS GUEST ROOMS

LATER THAT NIGHT

"Scully, you're back!" Exclaimed Mulder with mock surprise when he answered the door to her knock. "What did you learn?"

She sighed heavily. "Mulder, there's something I need to warn you about. We saw Phoebe Green tonight in Hogsmeade."

His eyes turned wary. "What does Phoebe have to do with this?"

"I'm not entirely sure, but she's involved somehow."

"But she's not a witch--or is she?"

"I think _that_ depends on your point of view. But no--she's like us, a muggle. However, she seems to have a contact in the wizarding world and that's how she's infiltrated their ranks, so to speak. And whoever that wizard is, he's placed her under protective charms."

"You're sure it's a wizard?"

"I'm sure. I mean, it would have to be. They say Hogsmeade is unplottable. I'm not sure I could find it again, and I was just there this evening with Professor Snape."

Mulder glanced at her sharply when she mentioned the Potions Master, but she returned his look with an expression as bland as a baby's.

"However," Scully continued. "I don't think Phoebe is the muggle that's been sighted those times. Or at least, not the only one. I talked to another muggle--also a woman. But Mulder, _she's_ from Memento."

"What did she say?" Asked Mulder, suddenly alert.

"That we should be careful of the company we keep. You read their literature--you know Memento calls wizards _memory stealers_."

Mulder nodded slowly before he sat down on his bed and sighed.

"What are you thinking about, Mulder?"

"I'm thinking that there goes yet another example of a person searching for the Truth. And she won't be believed any more than the alien abductees are believed." He rubbed the bridge of his nose wearily.

Scully didn't answer right away. Slowly and thoughtfully, she turned a desk chair around and sat down across from him. "She reminded me a little of Betsy Hagopian from MUFON--she had the air of somebody who's used to being disbelieved--or simply dismissed as a crackpot," she said low. "The irony is that _we_ actually know she's right."

He looked up at her intensely. "We've been here awhile now, had a look around. What's your opinion? What do you think about all this, Scully--what do you think about the wizarding world?"

Scully put her hands together, started to speak, hesitated. Then she said slowly, "I haven't figured out how they do all this. It's not like any technology I've ever seen, but I'm sure that after enough time..."

He got up and started pacing restlessly. "You amaze me. You're still not ready for extreme possibilities, no matter how many ghosts you see floating in the corridors here, or how many times you've seen food appear out of nowhere at meals in the Great Hall or..."

She held up a hand as a placating gesture. "Look, Mulder, I'm just saying that..."

"Never mind. Their secrets are safe enough, regardless of your opinion about the source of their _technology_. Most of our people will never know they exist," he said irritably, wrenching aside the curtain over her window and looking out into the darkness.

"It sounds to me like you're angry at the wizarding world."

He turned and looked at her. "No, I'm not angry with them. I understand their dilemma. But I am frustrated, Scully, because we live in the kind of world where they have to hide and we can't come forward with the truth because we can't all live peacefully together."

Scully shrugged. "_That's_ been a problem since the dawn of history. People fear and distrust what they don't understand."

"But if only there _were_ a way to make people understand--and not the ignorant fear-mongering Memento tries to do, either, but real education about their differences. Not that I blame Memento, either, you know. It's not their fault they don't understand. They only know they've had memories taken from them and they don't know why. If there were only a way to make Memento understand that most of the wizarding world does not have any evil intention towards them."

"I suppose in an ideal world that would be nice, but _you_ certainly are in no position to do it. And even if you were to find this woman--explain everything to her--you don't know what she would do with that information. Our loyalty is to this assignment--and by extension to the wizarding world."

"My loyalty is to the truth." Mulder declared.

"Memento hasn't been believed so far, but you watch--they'll keep right on publishing their pamphlets whether or not you reveal what you know to them. Don't forget, there were very good reasons for passing the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy."

He couldn't deny her point and he looked out the window again.

"Are you okay Mulder?" She asked after some time went by.

"You know, Dumbledore said he asked for us because we were trustworthy. But I'm not so sure that was the only reason."

"Oh?"

"He knows more than he lets on. Don't you get that feeling, Scully?"

She nodded slowly.

"I think," Mulder continued, "that somehow, in some way he knows our reputation in the Bureau. He knows the esteem in which the X-Files are held in the FBI at large. Even if we did tell everything we saw here, he knows we would never be believed--I'm afraid my reputation precedes me. I'll bet that's why we were chosen for this assignment--we were the lowest risk around."

Scully sighed. "You may be right, Mulder, but it's also true that they _need_ to live apart from mainstream society. They would be feared or harassed by some muggles, or even taken advantage of."

"I'm surprised to hear you take that argument, Scully."

"They allowed us in here and I don't want to betray their trust."

He looked at her a moment before saying, "I wonder if we're being used as pawns in someone else's Byzantine plot."

"Meaning what?"

"Think, Scully. Does Dumbledore or the Ministry of Magic need _us_? I know he said he wanted us to watch and observe so we'll be able to recognize signs of You Know Who's activity in the muggle world, but if you ask me, that's a rather flimsy reason to bring us all the way across the ocean. Not to mention that he faced considerable opposition to bring us here. No, I think there's something Dumbledore wants from us--something he knows we're in a position to do for him as muggles working for our government... What did he say to you when you got back tonight?"

"We didn't see him," Scully answered evenly. "He left word that we were all to meet with him in the morning before breakfast."

"Oh, I thought...well...never mind." For the first time there was a shade of a smile on his face.

"What, Mulder?"

"It's just I remember one of the older students saying something about how most of the businesses in Hogsmeade close by eleven at night..."

"And your point is?"

"No, no, forget it. But you'll notice I didn't mention how late it is--let's see," he looked at his watch. "One-thirty."

She raised her eyebrow at him.

"But of course you're very dedicated to your job, Scully, everybody knows that," he added hastily.

"All right, Mulder, that's enough."

"...Naturally, I wouldn't want to get in the way of your thorough...investigation..." He let his voice trail off.

Scully stood up and pushed her chair under the desk. Turning to him, she said briskly, "Good night, Mulder."

"Aw, do you really have to leave now?"

She shut the door behind her.

DUMBLEDORE'S OFFICE

6:00 A.M.

Dumbledore sat behind his desk, presiding over the staff meeting. He could see some of the faculty stifling yawns as they tried to stay alert at this early morning meeting, but he pretended not to notice. His elbows rested on the armrests of his chair, and his fingertips were pressed together as he peered over the tops of his glasses at Agent Scully. She was standing in front of him, turned a little to the side as she gave her report to him and the other faculty. He wondered briefly what she would be like as a teacher. Her attitude was alert and relaxed, and she knew how to talk to an audience. He watched her eyes scan the room as she spoke, even though she gave most of her attention to the headmaster.

"...We saw two muggle women. The first one was from the organization Memento and she gave me a brochure." With that, Scully reached into her pocket.

"Never mind, Agent Scully." Dumbledore reached over and opened a drawer in his desk. He rummaged around a little before he found what he was looking for. He handed a paper across the desk at her. "Was it something like this?"

Scully took it from him, looked down at the paper, then stared at him in amazement.

"She gave me one identical to it. Address, phone number, even email. How did you get this?"

He waved his hand airily. "Oh, from a delightful young lady who belongs to the organization. I ran into her in a muggle pub once. She was a wellspring of information--they call us _memory stealers_." He seemed to think the name was amusing.

"Yes, well--we also saw one Phoebe Green. She's an inspector with Scotland Yard."

Dumbledore looked at her narrowly. "Was she alone?"

Snape spoke up and answered. "We didn't see her in the vicinity of any wizards, but she indicated to me that she has a contact among us. Whoever he is put her under charms and enchantments to protect her against Legilimency."

Dumbledore nodded at Snape before he went back to studying Agent Scully. The Headmaster kept his expression neutral, but he was uneasy by the particular complication that had arisen since he assigned her to work with Snape. Dumbledore had thought it would be good for Severus to work with a muggle. He thought it would be a good opportunity to teach him that although muggles were ignorant of wizarding ways, they definitely were not stupid. They merely thought differently than wizards did--a different kind of intelligence. Dumbledore knew Scully was intelligent--apparently she had written a paper challenging the theories of that famous muggle scientist named Einstein. Intellectually she was a good match for Severus--she was a physician and he was a master at potions, and with their common background in teaching Dumbledore believed they would have a starting point for an acquaintance. He was pleased when the respect Severus developed for Agent Scully deepened into friendship. But now their relationship was past the platonic stage and Dumbledore was not so pleased anymore. But who would have thought it was possible--that Snape, who always looked down on muggles, would entangle himself with one? Dumbledore had completely discounted the man/woman element when he threw them together--and Merlin alone knew what the ultimate result of that omission would be. At least they were discreet. Nobody else seemed to know about their feelings for each other--he wouldn't have known if he hadn't caught them together two nights ago. But what would happen when she returned to the States? Would it be harder for her or for him? Oh well. No need to worry about that now.

"She may have a connection with the Memento woman--it's a possibility, anyway, seeing as they were both in Hogsmeade at the same time." Agent Scully was speaking to the room at large, although she'd acknowledged Snape's contribution with a glance and a nod in his direction.

"Isn't it a little dangerous for the muggles who are infiltrating into Hogsmeade at the same time that there is increased activity by You Know Who?" That was from McGonagall. Dear, faithful Minerva McGonagall. Dumbledore knew he was lucky to have a witch like her as his second-in-command.

"It wouldn't be above Voldemort to use a muggle then discard her--or him--when their usefulness was finished," said Dumbledore.

All the Hogwarts staff flinched at that name, but the two FBI agents exchanged a glance.

"I wonder if they know they might get themselves into danger?" This was the first thing Agent Mulder had said during the whole meeting. _Good man, Mulder_, Dumbledore thought. He was idealistic and earnest. He could have had a brilliant career in the Bureau if he didn't allow his personal obsessions full reign. But he was shrewd, too. This morning when he arrived for meeting, his eyes met Dumbledore's and the older man realized that the truth had dawned on him--he had figured out that the headmaster wanted something from him. Well, Mulder deserved to know the truth. But Dumbledore needed to prepare him a little bit more first.

"I think Inspector Green is already in danger. If she's associating with the type of wizard who would flout our customs like that, she may already be in over her head," stated Snape.

Dumbledore nodded slowly. "Actually, I know who she is," he said and without saying any spell that was audible, he conjured a photograph and handed it to Mulder. Scully leaned across to peer at it over his shoulder, and her eyes widened slightly. Dumbledore nodded almost imperceptibly--it was the reaction he was hoping for--and then he stood up. "They'll be serving breakfast in the Great Hall in ten minutes. You're all excused--we can discuss this in greater detail at a later time."

As his staff started getting up and milling towards the door he watched Scully exchange a look with Snape before he continued, "Agents, would you stay a moment? I'd like a private word with you."

Within moments the three of them were alone. Mulder was still looking at the picture, and Scully sat next to him and wondered why Dumbledore would possibly want to speak to them without the others present.

"Amazing objects, muggle photographs," Dumbledore said casually as he slowly walked around the perimeter of the room. "To capture a person in one precise instant in time--truly remarkable."

"Except you didn't keep us back to discuss the science of photography," Scully ventured.

"No. I didn't." He was still walking around the room, but suddenly he stopped and pointed to one of the many objects that cluttered his shelves. "Do you know what this object is?" He asked.

They shook their heads _no_.

"You don't need to sit there if it makes you uncomfortable," Dumbledore said mildly. "You're not in school and I'm not your professor."

The agents looked at each other and Mulder shrugged. He stood up, handed the picture to Scully, and walked over to where Dumbledore stood.

"Much better. It's easier to have a conversation like this, isn't it? But anyway, this," Dumbledore paused dramatically and pointed at the object again, "is a miniature replica of a Foe Glass. If you look into it you can see who your enemies are. Very useful object to have. Very useful."

Mulder sniffed. "I don't think there's a Foe Glass large enough to reveal all my enemies."

Dumbledore laughed delightedly and nodded. "You haven't told me what you think of the photograph. I mean, you do recognize the two persons in it, I presume."

Scully looked questioningly at Mulder and he nodded slightly.

"Sir," she asked, "Why would _you_ have this picture?"

"I first saw Inspector Green's name in connection with the same arson case that brought the two of you to my attention--I know that the three of you know each other--or did at one time. But I did a little digging around on my own--and a dear squibb friend took this with his own camera."

"I recognize Inspector Green, of course," said Scully slowly. "And I do recognize that man she's with. He talked to me once--at Mulder's father's funeral." She turned to her partner. "Then we talked to him a second time, remember? In that greenhouse that belonged to..." she broke off, not wanting to give too many details. "Professor Dumbledore, do you know who he is?"

"Well, let's see. I know he owns an estate in Somerset. And no, he doesn't seem to have any connection to the wizarding world. In fact, I learned that although he did have some contact with Inspector Green, he found her too...volatile...to be of any use to him. But he does have extensive contacts in various national governments--including yours." He gave them a look that was cunning, but not hostile.

"If I may go out on a limb here, sir, I would wager you wanted us to come here to Hogwarts for more than just to observe," said Mulder.

"And your wager would be correct." He seemed pleased, as if Mulder had just passed a test.

"Will you tell us what our other purpose here is?"

"Yes--absolutely--but not today."

"I have to say, sir, I'm not comfortable being kept in the dark."

Dumbledore crossed his arms and gazed at Mulder, who returned his gaze stare for stare. "I don't blame you for being distrustful. I know you haven't had much reason to rely on your alleged allies in the Bureau, let alone a stranger like me. All the same, I'm going to presume on your good nature and ask you to hold off on knowing everything for just a while longer. But try to understand--we won't make you stay if you don't want to. You're not prisoners here and we'll return you to DC the moment you ask."

"But you don't want us to leave."

He smiled. "No, I would rather you stayed."

Mulder turned to his partner. "What do you say, Scully?"

"I say we stay," she replied promptly, not looking up from her study of the picture.

Dumbledore looked at her, wondering if there were more to her willingness to stay at Hogwarts than mere dedication to her career. Then he decided it didn't matter. Snape and Scully were both adults and their lives were their own business.

"As delighted as I am that you two are staying, I don't expect you go without breakfast. Agent Mulder, I know there are things you want to say to your partner without anybody else listening in, so I'll meet you out in the hallway in a few minutes and we'll all go down to the Great Hall together." And with that Dumbledore swept out of the room.

"Amazing man, that Albus Dumbledore," said Mulder when he was alone with Scully.

"That man in the photograph..."

"I know, Scully. He worked with my father as part of the Syndicate...He knew my father... And he knows Phoebe...of course, Cancer Man knew my father, too...and so did a lot of other people..." he fell silent.

"How far does this web of relationships extend?" Scully asked a little fearfully.

Mulder had no answer for this. He merely shook his head.

CORRIDORS OF HOGWARTS

11:15 PM

"How did you know that woman from Memento was a muggle?" Scully asked as she and Snape walked past some tapestries in a less frequently used passageway near the classrooms.

"It was obvious. Didn't you know?" He replied.

"Not until she told me...in so many words. So, if you didn't know me, you would be able to tell right away that I am a muggle?"

"Of course."

"So by extension, you can identify other wizards at a glance."

"Naturally."

He stopped in front of one of the doors and pointed his wand at the lock. "_Alohamora_," he said and Scully heard a click as the lock released. Behind the door was a narrow storeroom lined from floor to the vaulted ceiling with shelves full of bottles and jars. Snape climbed a ladder and selected two small bottles and brought them down as she watched from the hall. After he tucked the bottles inside his robe, he closed and locked the door again.

"There's something I need to tend to tonight. Would you like to see?" He asked her.

She nodded and they descended several more flights of stairs. The air became distinctly chillier.

"We're underground now, aren't we?" She asked and he confirmed her guess.

He stopped at another door and muttered another unlocking spell and this

time the door swung open to reveal a fairly spacious room. He flicked his wand and the lights went on.

"Do you live here?" Scully asked as she followed him through the door.

He nodded and shut the door before walking over to a sturdy worktable with a cauldron on it and peering inside. He checked the fire under it and as if that reminded him of something, he flicked his wand over his shoulder with an almost careless gesture and a fire appeared in the fireplace.

Scully was grateful for the fire because it was chilly underground like this. As Snape took the bottles he retrieved from the store closet and placed them on the table by the cauldron, she walked around the room, interested to see where he lived.

The room suited the owner, Scully thought as she peered around. Besides the table with the cauldron on it, there was a second table with a single chair, an old and worn-looking sofa, one threadbare rug on the floor. She noticed there were no pictures, no souvenirs--at least none that would be recognizable as souvenirs to muggle eyes. He did, however, have quite a few books stuffed into several overflowing bookshelves. As she looked at their spines, she noticed a complete and utter lack of titles and authors she recognized. Not that she expected him to choose his reading material from the _New York Times_ bestseller list, but on some level she expected that he would have read at least _some_ muggle books.

The fire drove the chill out of the room rather quickly and she realized it must have been enchanted somehow--muggle fireplaces took longer to heat. Furthermore, there was no visible chimney, but no smoke was in the room. Normally, she would have worried about carbon monoxide poisoning from lack of ventilation, but Snape didn't seem concerned and it was clear he'd lived here for many years.

She took off her jacket and placed it on the back of the one chair and he turned to look at her briefly when he saw her movement out of the corner of his eye. She went to join him at the table.

He was examining a vial closely by the light of one of the lamps.

"Do you remember that first day you were here--when you mentioned quality control?" He asked her, almost absently, as he put down the one vial and picked up another. "I was impressed, Dana. That is the type of thing that is almost impossible to teach. For instance, I like to use my own supplies--I find that ingredients I don't prepare myself are rarely the same twice. They're either too weak or too strong. You have to actually know the ingredients you work with and not just merely follow the directions in some book."

Scully nodded. "Herbal medicine has the same challenges. No two plants are exactly the same, even within the same species. That's one of the advantages of pharmaceutical medicines--they can control the dosage more easily."

Snape scoffed. "Potion making is a much more complicated art than brewing some cup of chamomile tea. But you do understand the challenge I'm talking about. We try to keep a constant supply of certain potions."

"The Hogwarts pharmacopeia."

He nodded. "The potion I'm working on now is Veritaserum"

"Veritaserum," she murmured. "Veracity...verify...Is this some sort of truth-telling potion?"

"Indeed. Comparable to, but much more powerful than, your muggle compounds sodium pentothal and sodium amytal."

Scully shrugged, unimpressed. "Those drugs you mentioned only lower a person's resistance to the point that they're more likely to tell the truth than otherwise--sort of like getting a person drunk. But the recipient can consciously fight their effects and lie if he chooses to. Are you telling me that Veritaserum _always_ makes a person tell the truth?"

Snape paused. "It can be overcome by occlumency--blocking your mind so it can't be read against your will. But that's a difficult skill to learn. The other drawback to Veritaserum is that it takes weeks to compound--and it needs to be done just right, with very little margin of error. This batch is about half finished."

He stepped back then and pulled her between the cauldron and himself so she could look in. "Tell me--what do you see?"

Scully peered inside. "Well, it's colorless, and odorless, as far as I can tell."

"It also has no flavor--it's virtually undetectable when added to food or drink." He added.

"...it looks like water..." she said, continuing with her description.

"Take hold of the ladle gently," he urged.

She did as he instructed and his fingers closed around hers as he showed her how to hold the ladle. Still holding her hand in place, he moved his arm in a stirring motion.

"This potion is really thick!" Exclaimed Scully, surprised.

"It will be the consistency of water when it's finished," he assured her.

"Won't it affect the efficacy of the potion if a muggle helps create it?" She wondered.

He shook his head. "Potions are not like other magic. In one way they're more powerful than the other branches of magic because they work on the body directly and physically. But on the other hand, wands and spells are rarely needed, so even _you_ could learn how to do this--if you had the right ingredients--but muggles don't have any access to our ingredients. You see, the magic," and here he paused as he stopped stirring and looked for a particular bottle from the table. His hand was still closed around hers and she could feel the buttons on his coat press into her back as he reached for it. "The magic is in the ingredients themselves." He added three drops from the bottle into the cauldron. "And when you mix the ingredients together in just the right proportions," he guided her hand as they stirred the potion in the opposite direction. "...and with the right amount of heat," with that he added a drop from another bottle. "...for as long as it takes," they stirred precisely five rotations in the original direction. "...you get a result that is much stronger than the sum of its ingredients." He had her carefully remove the ladle from the cauldron and place it in a vat of some purple-colored fluid that Scully guessed was a cleaning solution.

"Now step back," he said as he retreated a few steps, pulling her with him with his hands on her shoulders. As Scully watched, a puff of golden smoke wafted from the top of the cauldron, followed by a bang and a puff of green smoke that reminded her of a mushroom cloud. The green cloud then dissipated, leaving behind a strange but not-unpleasant odor lingering in the air.

"When you joined me at the table I was checking those vials to make sure nothing was floating around inside them. The ingredients of Veritaserum have to be crystal clear--it requires a high degree of precision. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"I have administered intravenous meds, Severus. I know about checking for particulate matter," she said with a little bit of irony. "Didn't you ever see a muggle doctor at work?"

"I had a pediatrician before I came to Hogwarts. My father insisted. But Mum didn't like him and neither did I. He liked giving shots too much."

"It's part of the job, you know."

"Needles are a muggle invention."

Scully shrugged. She couldn't argue with that. Besides, she wasn't very fond of getting needles herself. But her attention was diverted away from the subject of doctors as he leaned closer to her.

"You know--if you went to Hogwarts you would have excelled at Potions." His voice was quieter as he murmured into her hair.

"I did all right in med school."

He slipped his arms around her from behind and kissed her shoulder and she closed her eyes and leaned her head back against him. He kissed her a second time and pushed her hair from the back of her neck and paused.

"Dana, what is this scar?"

Her eyes flew open as she whirled around in his arms and grabbed his wrist. "Don't touch it," she ordered.

"Tell me what it is."

She shook her head. "It's not important. Anyhow, it's a long, complicated story."

"I'm listening."

She stepped back from him, looking around nervously. "It doesn't matter now. Forget about it."

"But.."

She threw her hands up in the air in a gesture of frustration. "Please, Severus, I don't want to talk about it. Just drop the whole thing. Okay?"

**Hope you liked it! Please review and let me know.**


	20. Chapter 20

Chris Carter and 1013 Productions own the X-Files. JK Rowling, Warner Brothers and Scholastic own Harry Potter. All I own is this story line, every Harry Potter DVD and a complete collection of X-Files DVD's. I wish I owned Fox Mulder.

A/N This story is set anytime during _Sorcerers Stone_ through _Prisoner of Azkaban_ of HP (although it contains information in all the books) and after X-Files episode "Emily", but before "Requiem".

**Tempus nascendi et tempus moriendi...**

GREAT HALL

BREAKFAST

"I don't know how you get used to eating like this, on display," Scully murmured to Snape under her breath as she buttered a piece of toast.

He shrugged. "It's part of the job."

Looking past Snape, she noticed that Mulder and Hagrid were having an urgent, low-voiced conversation with Dumbledore, who was frowning. When Mulder saw her looking, he said, "We need to talk, Scully--right after breakfast."

As the students milled out to attend their classes, she caught Mulder up at the foot of the dais. Hagrid was standing with him, looking nervous and almost guilty.

"Scully, we need you to come take a look at something," Mulder started.

But Hagrid broke in. "I prob'ly should 'a sent for you sooner, but I didn't think i' was anything out of the ordin'ry. After all, animals die all the time--they grow old, they get eaten by other animals..."

"You've seen an increase in animal deaths?" She asked him.

He nodded. "I didn' see a pattern at firs'..."

This time it was Mulder who interrupted. "We better just go down and see. Scully, when do you think you can get away?"

She turned to Dumbledore, who was standing right behind her. "Sir?"

"Yes, go..."

She looked over to the door where Snape was waiting for her. She pointed to Hagrid and mouthed _I'm going with them_. Snape nodded and swept out of the Great Hall.

xXxXxXx

"Sorry you're missing Potions," Mulder said casually as they walked down the slope towards Hagrid's hut.

"Why should you be sorry? If there's something suspicious happening on this campus, we're supposed to go investigate."

It was a careful, casual answer. Mulder looked at her sideways and lowered his voice so Hagrid, who had wound up several paces ahead of them due to his enormous stride, couldn't hear. "We've only been here a few weeks, but it almost seems like a lifetime."

Scully shrugged. "That shouldn't be surprising. Nearly everything here is completely unfamiliar and we had so much to learn in a short time. It's only natural that it should play tricks on our time perception."

"I suppose. But Scully," he pressed. "Do you remember when we started this assignment--the way we all used to gather in the faculty lounge after supper? That seems like a long time ago."

"Well, that was before the attacks started. That had to change."

"You never join us anymore."

"Of course not, Mulder. Professor Snape has been kind enough to take me along on his rounds."

"The teachers here take turns with rounds. Nobody has to do it every night."

"Fine. Do you want to know what the big mystery is? Last night he showed me a potion he was working on. It's called Veritaserum. It's supposed to make people tell the truth."

They walked on in silence. How ironic that the potion should be to induce truth-telling. Mulder was certain Scully had told _part_ of the truth, but he was equally certain that she was withholding things, too. After a moment he ventured to speak. "You know, this isn't our world, Scully. In fact, there are a lot of wizards who don't even want us here. And we won't be here forever in any case."

"No kidding."

He found her curt sarcasm a bit off-putting, but he was almost certain that he knew what the reason was that he'd barely seen her over the last week and a half--or rather, _who_ the reason was. He tried again.

"If something's going on or you need to talk or something...well...you know I'm here for you..." he said lamely, his voice trailing off as she rolled her eyes.

"I don't know what you're driving at, Mulder, but okay. I know you're here if I need you." It was another abrupt answer, but she softened it with a little smile--although she did walk on a little bit ahead of him to signal that she decided the conversation was over.

Of course, all he had were suspicions. Despite working with Scully for years, despite everything they had been through together, as much as they knew about each other, there were still things about her that were a mystery to him.

When they arrived at the hut, Hagrid led them to the specimens he'd found. They were out back on a long table. Hagrid had put them in little cages to protect them from postmortem predation. To her surprise she saw a wren, a squirrel and a fox.

"Why Hagid, these are normal animals!" She exclaimed.

"Normal?" Asked Mulder, grinning.

"Well...you know what I mean." She threw a placating glance at the gamekeeper.

"It's allrigh', Agent Scully," said Hagrid.

"But not very politically correct," Mulder muttered at her, enjoying her discomfiture.

"What I meant was..." She paused. Mulder had a point. Maybe the term _normal _was not the best one to use. After all, these were people who thought bowtruckles and delivery owls were normal animals. "Non-magical? Conventional?"

"Whatever you like, Agent Scully," Hagrid said. He didn't know why Agent Mulder was teasing her, but he no desire to join in.

She pulled on a pair of latex gloves and picked up the cage with the wren in it. She carried it to a sunny part of the yard and examined it carefully. Then she shook her head.

"What is it?" Asked Mulder, serious now.

Scully looked at him, troubled. "It's the same electrical burn pattern we saw on the other victims. Now he's attacking animals."

OLD TRANSFIGURATION ROOM

LATER THAT NIGHT

"I'm going to show you how to play wizard chess," Snape announced to Scully as they took a break from patrolling. He would have to make rounds once more that night, but now they were passing the time away in an abandoned classroom off the main part of the castle. He was showing it to her to satisfy her curiosity.

She nodded her head.

"You _have_ played muggle chess, haven't you?"

"Of course."

"The rules are the same," he said as he placed the pieces out on the board. "But the difference is you tell the pieces where to move, rather than touch them."

Scully perched herself on the desk so she could get a better view. "What would happen if I did move them by hand?"

"See for yourself."

Scully picked up a pawn--gently, so she thought--by the shoulders, but jumped when it squirmed in her hand and gave a most unearthly shriek.

"Careful," Snape said, cupping his hand under hers.

"Don't worry. I'm on it." And she gingerly replaced it on the board. As she stared, the pawn muttered invective at her for a short while before it settled down grumpily.

"You go first," Snape urged. "Remember to tell the pieces where you want to move."

Scully made her move, Snape counter-moved and Scully moved a piece again, but her mind was not entirely on strategy. She wanted to examine the chess piece more closely and try to find the microphone. She was sure they moved by some speech recognition technology and she wanted to see it for herself. But she had to admit that this was far more sophisticated than any voice-activated product she'd ever seen before. And because she was too busy thinking about how the pieces worked, rather than where the pieces were, it was not long before the inevitable happened.

"Watch what happens when you get captured," Snape told her. She watched as his capturing piece knocked her opposing piece out and dragged it off the board.

She didn't like being the first player to lose a piece, and she tried to keep her focus on the game. But despite the novelty of playing wizard chess, Scully found her mind wandering again, mulling over the events of the previous nine days. She felt like there was something she wasn't getting, some larger pattern she wasn't seeing, some mysterious way all the evidence would fit if only she could...

"Your move," he broke in.

Scully snapped out of her reverie. Not only was Snape staring at her, the pieces were shouting at her, trying to offer advice. Her thoughts whirled around her mind, and she tried to concentrate. She moved her rook forward, realized how foolish a move that was and threw up her hands amid groans from her pieces and cheers from Snape's as she watched the poor rook dragged off the board. She had to stifle the foolish urge to apologize to it.

"I give up," she said.

"Hmm?"

Scully swung her legs off the desk, slid off and stretched a little. She started to pace, frowning. She said, "None of this makes any sense."

"I presume you're not talking about chess."

She shook her head impatiently. "Look at the evidence, Severus. First, there's a serious attack on a student, but not fatal and no lasting wound. Second, there's a fatal attack on a house-elf. Third, attacks on magical creatures. And finally attacks on conventional animals. It's too unusual--you would expect the violence to escalate up the evolutionary ladder. Not the other way."

Snape ordered the chess pieces back into the box, then turned to watch her pace.

"The way I see it," she said, "Either something has happened to weaken him, and therefore he's attacking animals and not people. Or, maybe he's trying to come back through an animal...But that doesn't seem in keeping with his personality--to come back as a mere animal...Maybe...he's toying with us." She walked over and stood in front of him. "Do you think he knows we're here? Mulder and I?"

"That's hard to say. Hogwarts is under protective enchantments, but nothing's foolproof. Not to mention we don't know what form he's taking."

"Or if he possesses knowledge and consciousness the way we do." She thought for a moment. "Of course, it's not exactly a secret we're here." She leaned forward and took his hands. She spoke steadily but quietly, as if testing the waters. "Did you know him, in the time before? I mean, actually meet him?"

"Yes, that's how it worked." He had a sharp edge to his voice although he didn't pull his hands away. He was uneasy at how casually the muggle agents talked about You-Know-Who. They were professional, never deviated from proper protocol, never mentioned him by name, but they did not have the same _fear_ the wizards had. Of course, she hadn't been here in the days of the War. She had probably been in med school at the time, learning how to save lives, all oblivious to devastation and upheaval that touched every wizard life, while he, on the other hand...All the same, he was unable to control the harshness in his voice.

Scully raised her eyebrow at his tone, but continued, in the same quiet voice, "He didn't--doesn't like muggles. There's a possibility he's angry we're here." She let go his hands and resumed her pacing. "Maybe he's trying to provoke us..."

She stopped and turned to look at Snape, her arms crossed. She paused for a moment, looking at him, thinking out loud. "In our muggle world, if we want to catch somebody who's been eluding capture we might set a trap. What do you think would make him come out of hiding and show himself?"

He looked at her intensely. "What exactly do you think you're going to see?"

"We'd find out when he showed himself."

"You seem very sure he _can_ show himself. But you're forgetting that the student who was attacked never saw his attacker."

"But there must still be a way to lure him out into the open so he can be captured or stopped, however your people do these things. You must have some wizardy way to catch him then."

He looked at her as if she had lost her mind. "You're talking about an ambush."

"In a manner of speaking--of course, you would need bait. Something he wants badly, to lure him out of hiding..." She was pacing again.

"Surely you must know how dangerous...?"

"He seems obsessed with Hogwarts, with this whole area. What does he want badly from here? Besides Harry Potter, but he's underage, so it's out of the question using him..."

"Dana, you seem to be forgetting, we haven't proven absolutely that it's You Know Who..."

"Dumbledore thinks it is," she answered, but absently, more to herself than to him.

Snape stood up and strode over to intercept her pacing. She stopped in front of him, although her mind was racing, and she was acting as if she wasn't even aware he was there. But then she seemed to come to, and placed her hand on his arm. Looking straight into his eyes, she said, "What would be the most obnoxious thing a muggle could do that he could not resist reacting to?"

Snape grabbed her upper arms and said, "Stop it right now! You don't know what you're talking about. You weren't brought here to fight the Dark Lord. You were only to help with the investigations and learn enough about this threat to help your own people. The Headmaster thinks You Know Who is contacting his followers somehow, maybe doing some form of recruiting. However, we don't know how many wizards he could be bringing over to his side--if that's even the correct theory at all. But there's something you need to know about...

"You asked if I knew him in the time before. I did know him. In fact I knew him rather well. You see, if he were in trouble, he could summon assistance in an instant. Come here."

He pulled her under one of the burning torches, where the lighting was strongest. He unbuttoned his sleeve and pushed it up to show her something on his arm. She touched it curiously, lightly. "A tattoo?"

"No, Dana, this is the Dark Mark. In those days, we Death Eaters were all marked with this sign. If he touched the Mark of any individual, the rest of us would feel it and were to Apparate to him instantly to give assistance. Not all the former Death Eaters are in Azkaban, you know. Some went back to their private lives. It's near impossible to say where some people's loyalties lie. But, I promise you that you would not want to face a mob of angry Dark wizards." He pushed his sleeve down without buttoning it and put his arm around her loosely. "You really don't know what we're dealing with--after all, how could you? But why do you think Dumbledore is moving so cautiously? Defeating You-Know-Who will not be easy or bloodless. Just the same, he wants to keep the casualty count as low as possible. Don't suggest baiting, or ambush or anything rash like that. Keep on the way you have been, but don't put yourself in a position where you have no chance of surviving. Death at the hands of a Death Eater or You-Know-Who is not something to be wished on anyone."

xXxXxXx

Scully was quiet, thinking about the Dark Mark, as Snape walked her back to her quarters late that night. It was rather grotesque, really--a skull that seemed to be vomiting a serpent. Her rational mind still resisted the idea that Voldemort had _really_ been able to summon his followers merely by touching the Mark. But then Snape had no reason to lie about such a thing to her. Besides, when she realized how many things she had learned to accept in her brief weeks at Hogwarts--things she could never accept in "her world". For even if she held to the idea that Snape's people possessed a different type of technology than she was accustomed to, it still lead to the uncomfortable questions of how and where they obtained it.

Lately, every time she pondered the source of wizard technology, she was overwhelmed by a powerful urge to surrender---but to what she wasn't sure. Surrender to the belief in wizarding magic? That would mean to throw away her belief in the power of science to solve all the mysteries of the universe--at least in theory. Or was it merely a temptation to surrender to the exotic allure of Hogwarts? For long stretches--hours at a time--she was able to forget her life before this assignment. She would get that same giddy sensation she first had when she passed through the pillar at King's Cross Station, that feeling of disorientation that had made her so uncomfortable when she first experienced it, but now felt like sinking into a soft downy feather bed. She could forget her mother, the FBI, even her quiet sorrow over Emily...

And there was something else she could forget. More and more frequently these days, she could go so far as to forget her secret, confused and repressed feelings for Mulder. Especially because Dumbledore had split them up and she saw so little of him now, really...

But the Dark Mark--a skull, a serpent...

Skulls and serpents were common enough symbols. The skull and crossbones to symbolize poison, for instance. Then there was the snake to symbolize the devil. And on the other hand, the snake on the caduceus, the symbol of the medical profession, of healing...something seemed to be just out of her reach--

"Wait," Scully said abruptly, and she turned to him. "Let me see that again." To his surprise, she unbuttoned his sleeve and pushed it up. "I've seen this before."

"Impossible." He struggled to pull his arm away from her as she held on more tightly.

"Possible. But let me think."

He stopped struggling, resigned himself to her examination. Finally, she looked up at him. "I believe I've seen this before. But it was awhile ago--on a different case." She frowned. "I don't have any of the records with me...I just bet there's a connection."

"And if there is?"

"I'll know when I find it."


	21. Chapter 21

Chris Carter and 1013 Productions own the X-Files. JK Rowling, Warner Brothers and Scholastic own Harry Potter. All I own is this story line, every Harry Potter DVD and a complete collection of X-Files DVD's. I wish I owned Fox Mulder.

A/N This story is set anytime during _Sorcerers Stone_ through _Prisoner of Azkaban_ of HP (although it contains information in all the books) and after X-Files episode "Emily", but before "Requiem".

GUEST ROOM

HOGWARTS

Scully was pacing again, this time in her partner's room. "You do remember the case, don't you Mulder?"

"I do. I'm just sorry I didn't think about it first."

"You didn't see the Mark." Unconsciously her hand touched her left forearm.

"I gotta tell you. I'm not sure if this is a good idea. Besides, I don't know if you can leave."

"Dumbledore said we could leave anytime we wanted."

"Yes, but he never said we could come back."

Scully stopped in her tracks. "But I need the data, Mulder. Surely he wouldn't refuse to let me do research."

"Scully," he started, then paused. "Scully, sit down. I want to talk to you."

She sat down reluctantly in an overstuffed chair. Her whole demeanor radiated tension and she drummed her fingernails impatiently on the armrest.

"I just want to say..." he stopped again to gather his thoughts. Then he took a deep breath and plunged in. "I'm afraid you're becoming too emotionally involved in this case."

"I am not!"

"I haven't seen you get this affected by any investigation since--oh, I don't know. I can't think of one."

"I can handle this. Just because I don't believe in magic..."

"Yeah, you keep saying that. And maybe you even think it's true. But you keep coming around to talk about Dark Marks and potions. Next you'll be telling me you took tea with Moaning Myrtle."

"Who?"

"You know--the ghost in the girls' bathroom--the one who--oh, never mind. I..."

"I haven't talked to any of the ghosts, Mulder," Scully interrupted.

"Okay. Fine. But..."

"I don't believe in ghosts, Mulder."

"Whatever--it's just..."

"I know it's a common psychological phenomenon to think you've seen the spirits of your departed loved ones, but that doesn't mean..."

"Scully! Stop interrupting me!" Mulder shouted. Then seeing the hurt look on her face, he hunkered down next to her. When he spoke again, he was much quieter. "This is what I'm talking about. First you talk like you believe in some of this, then you talk like you don't. Finally, you deny what you said and contradict yourself. I'm getting worried that this case isn't good for you. I don't want to see you crack up. Maybe you should go home. That might be your best bet."

"I don't want to leave," she said quickly. "Not now." She met her partner's eyes. He was staring at her searchingly. She was the first one to look down.

When Mulder spoke again, it was calmly and quietly. "How do you propose to get back to the States? Airplane?"

"I suppose. I didn't think it out that far ahead. I could ask Dumbledore. Or Professor Snape. He would know."

"Did you ask Professor Snape already?"

"No."

"Go ahead and ask Dumbledore. See if you can get clearance to go get your data." He put his hand gently over hers. "But I really wish you wouldn't do this. I'll be watching you closely to make sure you're handling this okay."

"You're not my boss, Mulder."

"No. But I am somebody who will watch your back. Somebody who cares what happens to you."

HEADMASTER'S OFFICE

FOLLOWING MORNING

Headmaster Dumbledore looked at Agent Scully closely over his spectacles as he listened quietly to her request.

Misinterpreting his silence for disbelief, she became frustrated. "I don't know how else to convince you, sir."

He started. "Convince me? My dear Agent Scully--but I am convinced."

"Then does that mean I have your okay to go back for the evidence?"

He tilted his head to one side. "It's not that simple. You see, the last thing the Ministry wants is for muggles to flit back and forth between our worlds. I had a devil of a time to persuade them to let you here in the first place. You may not realize that you and your partner have been privy to a glimpse of our world muggles never see. Few of you know about us. Just consider our students here, Agent Scully--many of them have muggle parents, but we don't bring them here to Hogwarts."

"So what does this mean? I can't leave?"

"Oh, no, Agent Scully. I told you before--you're free to leave any time. I just can't guarantee your passage _back_ to Hogwarts."

"Even though I have evidence that could help you?"

"You mean you _may_ have evidence. You've said you weren't sure."

Scully looked at him in surprise. Until now, Dumbledore had been the soul of courtesy and cooperation.

"So you won't help me."

"You of all people should understand bureaucracy." He looked at her kindly. "I'm afraid the Ministry's feelings are clear. Come." He stood up and took her elbow. "I'll walk with you down to breakfast. The house elves tell me they're preparing something special."

SEVERUS SNAPE'S QUARTERS

LUNCHTIME

If Snape had hoped Scully's pensive mood from the previous night had lifted, he was sorely disappointed. She had little to say at breakfast and seemed to look right through him at Potions. She didn't seem to notice the curious sidelong glances he'd been giving her and now she was picking at the food he'd had sent for lunch. It was too cold today to eat in the turret, but she agreed to lunch with him in his rooms.

"Don't you like it?" He asked.

"It's fine...it's okay...I guess I'm just not very hungry." She pushed her food around her plate. Then she put down her fork. "I want to go back to DC. There's some evidence I'd really like to look into, but Dumbledore won't let me come back if I go. I just don't know how he can be so stubborn about this..."

"Because he has to live here after you--after your assignment is over."

She sat back and sighed. "I know. He has people he has to placate and get along with. He's already gone out on a limb for us--and I'm really not ungrateful--but it's so frustrating to sit here and not do everything in my power."

"Is that where you were this morning before breakfast? Talking to Dumbledore?"

"Yes. But he told me _no_. It's against some unwritten policy or something."

Snape leaned across the table and took her hand. "The headmaster is a reasonable man. You should trust him when he says this."

"I know, Severus. I've read his history. I know he's very open-minded about muggles. But I'm so frustrated!"

xXxXxXx

Before they walked in for dinner, Dumbledore brushed by the agents waiting in the lobby with the other faculty. "I'd like a word with you in my office, seven-thirty sharp." Mulder and Scully looked at each other. Mulder shrugged.

And at seven-thirty sharp, they were sitting in private conference in the Headmaster's office.

"You may do that errand we spoke of earlier, Agent Scully. Of course, I expect the utmost discretion from you. And if you ask, you'll receive the help you require. That will be all."

"Thank you," said Scully, rather stunned by this turnaround.

Dumbledore waved his hand and shook his head as a signal not to discuss it. But he peered at Mulder closely as he walked them to the door.

Outside the office, Mulder looked at his partner with some amazement. "Well, you wrangled it, Scully. I'm not sure how you did it, but you convinced him."

"Yeah, weird," she said doubtfully.

xXxXxXx

Did you have something to do with this?" Scully demanded when she was alone with Snape that night.

He merely shrugged. "As I said, the headmaster is a reasonable man."

"He advised me to be discreet. Which I would have been anyway. I know that what he's allowing me to do would be frowned upon by the Ministry. But then he told me that if I need any help to just ask.. Does the Hogwarts Express come by here again? Then I can get back to London and to Heathrow Airport."

"You can't take the Express because you would have to go back through King's Cross. And you can't risk being seen. We'll be leaving directly from the gates of Hogwarts."

"We?"

"I'm coming with you."

"No, I don't want to put you to any trouble. I could fly out and back again..."

"You may need my help."

"What for? I'll be in my own world."

"You might be able to go for your data and come back again without any interference. But Dumbledore is worried that you could run into...hostile elements. And besides, if you took a plane, personal information would be tracked and become part of someone else's record."

"But the only alternative is wizarding transportation," and she turned a little pale at the thought.

"You can't have everything, Dana. No, we'll be doing a series of side-along apparations."

An awful suspicion dawned on her. "Is this _apparation_ that appearing-and-disappearing thing you told me about once?"

He nodded.

"There has to be a better way," she argued. "Even Floo would be better."

"Floo isn't entirely secure. It can be monitored. Brooms take too long. It must be apparation."

"I wouldn't know what to do."

He raised his eyebrow at her. "_You_ don't have to do anything. Except follow my instructions."


	22. Chapter 22

Chris Carter and 1013 Productions owns the X-Files

Chris Carter and 1013 Productions own the X-Files. JK Rowling, Warner Brothers and Scholastic own Harry Potter. All I own is this story line, every Harry Potter DVD and a complete collection of X-Files DVD's. I wish I owned Fox Mulder.

xXxXxXx

A/N This story is set anytime during _Sorcerers Stone_ through _Prisoner of Azkaban_ of HP (although it contains information in all the books) and after X-Files episode "Emily", but before "Requiem".

xXxXxXx

2nd A/N: Just a quick recap because I haven't updated in over six months. Mulder and Scully have been sent to Hogwarts. There are mysterious attacks. Scully needs more data that may shed some light on the attacks and Dumbledore gives her permission to go back to DC to get it. Warning: this is the part of the story where mytharc meets Potterverse. If you're a true XPhile, I don't have to define the word "mytharc".

xXxXxXx

HOGWARTS LIBRARY

8:30 PM GREENWICH MEAN TIME

Dana Scully walked slowly up and down the aisles of the library, perusing the books close to, but not in, the restricted section. She knew what information she wanted to find, but wasn't sure which book she might find it in. Madame Pince had directed her to the section about magical creatures but before she could be any real help, she skittered away when she heard some students talking above a whisper.

Daunted by the enormity of the task in the small amount of time she had left, Scully was almost about to give up when she saw a rather heavy volume that looked new. She pulled it off the shelf, flipped to the index, and found the page she wanted.

It was busy in the library tonight and she wanted to read in peace. So rather than looking for a table and chair among the students, where she'd attract attention, she tucked the book under her arm, held onto the heavy shelves and lowered herself to the floor, a task made tricky by the skirt and heels she was wearing. But she sat with her feet curled under her and started to skim the passage.

"Psst! Agent Scully!"

Scully looked up when she heard the harsh whisper. It was Hermione Granger and she was alone.

"How are you Hermione?"

"Good," the girl shrugged. "What are you reading?"

"There's a chapter in this book about snakes. I'm doing some reading up, but most of the books in this library refer to magical creatures only."

"Well, you can understand why."

Scully nodded and smiled. "Unfortunately, I don't have much time. What can you tell me--in fifty words or less--about snakes and their significance to the wizarding world?"

The girl sat down next to her , crossing her legs Indian style under her robe. "Snake venom and skin is used in some potions." Hermione recited as if by rote. "And there's parseltongue--you know, snake language. Do you know about that?"

"I've heard that some bad wizards use it to communicate with snakes."

"We prefer the term _dark _ over _bad_, but yes. Although some good wizards have the ability to speak parseltongue, too."

"And what else?"

"I've heard some wizards and witches use snakes as familiars," Hermione crinkled her forehead. "But I don't know if I can explain how that works."

"Hmm. It mentions familiars right here," Scully pointed to a passage in the book.

"Agent Scully, could I ask you something?"

Scully nodded.

"What's it like to be an FBI agent? Is it really exciting? You must have seen so many interesting things."

Scully smiled. "It has it's moments of excitement, yes. But there are also moments of sheer terror. Not to mention lots and lots of moments of tedium, too. And oh, I forgot--endless paperwork. Are you thinking of becoming an Auror when you grow up?"

"I don't know. Sometimes I think about it. I want to make the world a better place, and catching criminals would be one way to do it. But you do that and you're also a medical doctor."

"Yes."

"Maybe that's more up my alley. To be a healer or a medi-witch. I could make the world a better place that way, too."

"Well, nobody knows better than you what your temperament is. But for the book-learning aspect of it, you would probably do well in either field. I've watched you in potions, Hermione. You're a conscientious student."

_And I've watched you in Potions, Agent Scully. You've hid your secret pretty well, but I know your relationship with Snape is not strictly professional_ Hermione thought, but she kept her expression blank and all she said was "Thanks."

However, as if she'd conjured him by her thoughts, she was startled to hear Snape's voice say, "Are you ready, Agent Scully?" Hermione hadn't heard him come in, and she glanced behind her at him quickly. He was ignoring her.

"Yes, Professor," Scully replied and held up her hand so he could help her up from her awkward sitting position.

Although their voices and words were formal, Hermione was quick to notice the easy casualness of their exchange, the familiar way they touched each other, even though he let go Scully's hand the moment she was on her feet. But Hermione acted as if she hadn't noticed, and pulled a book from the shelf to read.

xXxXxXx

As Snape led Scully to the first aparation spot, he asked her, "Why are you dressed so formally?"

"Just in case the information which _should_ be in my apartment is _not_ in my apartment.," she replied. "If it's gone, I'll have to go to Headquarters and get it."

"Do you mean FBI Headquarters? You're not suggesting we go there."

"No, I'm not suggesting _we_ go there. I'm stating that_ I _may _have_ to go there. However," she hastened to add when she saw the look on his face. "I doubt it will come to that."

He stopped in his tracks. "How can I convince you not to try anything so foolish? If you try to enter your Headquarters, you'll surely get caught. Even I know it's heavily monitored and under strict guard. Besides, Dumbledore told you not to make any side trips."

"It's not a side trip if I need the data and it's not where it should be," she answered, trying to sound calm and reasonable.

"Then I have to come with you to Headquarters."

"Completely out of the question," she said with a wave of her hand. "Unless of course you've brought your passport."

"Only muggles carry passports," he said disdainfully.

"Then I'm afraid only muggles can get into Headquarters. I could slip in alone, but if I bring you and we get caught, well--the moment you talk it'll be obvious you're not from around DC. Then it will become a case for Immigration and Naturalization. I'm sure the Ministry would_ love_ that--a wizard involved in an international incident with a foreign muggle government. Don't argue," she said when he looked ready to object. "Besides, I'm nearly positive it won't come to that."

GEORGETOWN DC

4:45PM EASTERN STANDARD TIME

"_I_ wanted to fly nice and comfortably from Heathrow to Dulles--in a plane with seats and a pressurized cabin and flight attendants who would serve me a little bag of peanuts with a cup of warm, flat, soda for a snack. But instead I listen to you and get..." Scully paused and took a deep breath. They had arrived at their final destination, a copse of trees in an obscure corner of a public park. She was holding one hand against her stomach and her other hand was clutching Snape's arm as she tried valiantly to regain her balance. "How can you stand magical transportation? How can you stand that squeezing sensation? I never, never, never want to go through that again." She paused for breath, shaking her head as she did so. "That was completely horrible."

"Don't say _never_, Dana. We still have the return trip."

"You're a sadist."

He let that slide. "Which one of these houses is yours?" He asked as they turned the corner from the park and walked along a nondescript suburban street.

"None of them. That house--the one over there--is my mother's."

He stopped dead. "You didn't tell me we were going to your mother's."

"Yes, Severus," she explained patiently. "How else am I going to get my car keys?"

He was dumbfounded. "Car keys? I thought we were going directly to your flat. Why...?"

"Because on a long-term assignment like this one, I need her to look after my car--you know, start the engine every once in a while, that sort of thing. Basic automobile maintenance..."

"No, no, no," he said irritably. "You seem to forget we can aparate anyplace you want. We don't have to take muggle transportation. You should have given me the location of _your_ apartment. If I had known..." He took her arm and tried to steer her back to the park. "Never mind--we'll go immediately."

Scully shook her head and stepped backward, freeing her elbow from his grasp. "Extra aparations don't sound very appealing right now. If anything, this experience has made me heartily grateful to be a muggle. Besides, I always have to have my car when I'm in the area. It makes me feel secure having my own ride." And with that she headed back down the street towards her mother's, and he watched her go, wishing there were no Statute of Wizarding Secrecy and he could take her away from this place over her objections, but he couldn't risk being seen by the neighbors, and he had no choice but to fall in beside her.

She looked at him sidelong when he caught her up, but not to gauge his reaction at her refusing to aparate with him. She was taking another look at his clothes. He had done something to them before they left Hogwarts--some transforming spells--and he could pass for a muggle. Sort of. Her eyes had become so accustomed to wizard fashions over the last few weeks that when she was at Hogwarts Snape's changes looked reasonably muggle to her. But now she was back among her own people, she could see the flaws in his disguise. In fact, his whole effect was rather eccentric, dressed in all that black. She was tempted to take him back to the park for further transformations, but she feared he would aparate her by force if she were alone with him where there were no witnesses. She sighed. Flaws or no flaws, his clothes would have to do.

"Let's go," she urged, and started walking more quickly. In front of her mother's house she glanced around briefly. "I wonder what she did with my car?" They climbed the steps to the front porch and she raised her hand to push the bell. But before she could touch it, the door opened a crack.

"Dana? Is that you?"

"Mom? Yes, let us in."

The door opened wider. "Come on-come on-come on," Maggie urged, waving her hand at them frantically. Scully and Snape stepped in quickly.

Maggie shut the door and locked it, took Scully by the hand, and pulled her to the bottom of the stairs, finger to her lips to warn her to speak softly. Snape followed a little behind.

"I didn't expect you back this early," Maggie began. "Did something happen to you overseas?"

"We're flying back tonight. I needed...something."

Maggie sighed as her forehead puckered into a worried frown. "I don't think it was a good idea for you to come back here."

"Why not? Mom, what is it? What's wrong?"

Maggie clasped her hands together nervously. "Dana, there's something weird going on around here."

Scully felt the hairs on the back of her neck prickle. "Weird? Like how?"

"This house is being watched."

Scully's eyes opened wide. "Mom, are you sure?"

Maggie inhaled sharply. "I know when I'm being _watched_, Dana. It's been over the last four days. First there was a van parked in front of that house across the street and down one. It had the name of some florist's, but not one I had ever heard of. So I looked it up in the phone book--there is no such shop. Then there've been strange men walking up and down the street--patrolling it, it looks like. Before you say anything, Dana, remember--this is a residential street. Nobody walks around here except the neighbors."

"Are you sure they're looking at_ this_ house?"

"I wasn't certain at first--I even thought I was being paranoid. But I'm the only one home during the day. Well, except for Mrs. Harrison, who's 97 years old with a hip replacement and a pacemaker. But the Shapiro's both work," Maggie was ticking off people on her fingers, "...and the Andersons are on vacation...And Dana, there's more. When I used the phone two nights ago, I heard _clicking_ on the line. And don't tell me it was static, either. That flower truck was parked across the street then, too."

"Did you call the police?"

"Of course I did. But before they could even arrive, the flower truck left, and nobody in their right mind would loiter around when the cruiser's parked out front...wait a minute." She seemed just to have noticed Snape's presence. "Who are you?"

Before he could answer, Scully said, "This is Severus Snape--a colleague from England."

Maggie blinked once at the unusual name and peered at him closely before she held her hand out to him. "I'm sorry we didn't meet under better circumstances. Well, we can't stand here all day. Lets go in the kitchen. You want some coffee? I just made a whole pot. Or some tea?"

When they had followed her into the kitchen, Scully asked, "Why'd you make a whole pot, Mom? Do you expect to stay up all night? Because if you're that worried, you should stay in a hotel."

"No, that's not it." Maggie opened her cupboards and pulled out some mugs. "I was supposed to baby-sit Matthew tonight so Bill and Tara could go out. But now I'm too afraid to. If I'm being watched, I don't want them trailing me to their house to find me all alone with the baby. So when I called Bill to cancel, I had explain the situation to him. Then he insisted on coming over to see for himself."

"But Mom, if your phone's tapped, was it such a good idea..."

"Give me some credit, Dana," Maggie said, patting Scully on the cheek. "You're not the only smart one in the family. I used my cell and called from the parking lot of the supermarket."

Scully nodded. "And my car?"

"After I realized I was being watched I put it in the garage for safekeeping."

Scully nodded again. "I should probably take a look around."

"Sure, sure," Maggie said, before she fixed an eye on Snape. She seemed to be studying him. "But first sit and have something to drink. You two go on ahead into the living room. I'll bring the coffee and tea."

But Snape and Scully were barely alone in the living room a moment before Maggie shouted from the kitchen. "Dana? Come here a minute?"

"Make yourself at home," Scully said to Snape before she went into the kitchen to her mother.

Maggie pulled her aside and whispered to her. "I didn't want to say anything in front of your new friend..."

"Colleague, Mom. He's just a colleague."

Maggie raised eyebrow at her. "Whatever you say, Dana. I don't have time to argue with you. But anyhow, one of the men who've been watching the house looks like...well, maybe not looks like--it's more that...your _colleague_..." and she nodded towards the living room where Snape was waiting, "...reminds me of one of those men."

"Reminds you? But what do you mean?"

"You never talk about your work, Dana, and I understand--I know you have confidentiality to consider and I respect that. But I just get a--a sense--or a vibe--from your...colleague. I can't explain why, honey, but it's just the same gut feeling I got the first time I realized I was being watched."

Scully's scalp prickled as she remembered what Snape told her about wizards being able to recognize their own kind on sight. Was it possible...could it be that her own mother...? No, it couldn't be. Maggie Scully was no witch. But on the other hand, Maggie had had a premonition of Scully's own abduction. Mulder told her about it afterward--Maggie never mentioned it. Scully laughed a little nervously. "You're starting to sound like Melissa, talking about vibes and gut feelings."

Maggie shrugged. "Say what you will, but Melissa had good instincts about people. Oh, I'm not saying there's anything wrong with your friend..."

"...but you're telling me how you feel."

Maggie put her hands on either side of Scully's face and kissed her forehead lightly. "I don't know who's running this surveillance. But I'm almost certain they're not investigating _me_. That's why I put your car away one afternoon when there wasn't anybody watching. I hoped they would think you'd taken it and left--and I knew you were overseas, so you were safe. Maybe you shouldn't have come back at this time. But I didn't know how to contact you and tell you to stay away."

Meanwhile, left all alone, Snape examined the living room minutely. It had been years since he was in an all muggle house and he was curious in spite of himself. He was drawn especially to the pictures on the mantelpiece. Dana was in some of them, Mrs. Scully was in others. Then, of course, there were pictures of people he didn't recognize--wedding pictures, baby pictures. But one snapshot in a frame caught his eye. It was tucked in the back, as if it wasn't quite meant to be seen, but had a right to be placed along with the rest. He took it down to examine it more closely. The picture quality was poor--like a copy of a copy. There was a little girl--surrounded by balloons--in front of her was a birthday cake with candles--the frosting spelled out _happy birthday_...

--He couldn't quite read the last line...

Suddenly, Scully was next to him. Without a comment, she took the picture from him and restored it to its place among the others, but she was pale and her expression was strained.

"Bill's here," she said. "His car just pulled up."

After brief, curt, introductions on all sides, Scully's brother, Bill, lost no time in insisting on checking every part of the house and yard personally, and Scully and Snape went with him. They went from attic to basement, to the back shed, and around the perimeter of the property. But nothing seemed to be out of place and there were no unknown people or unmarked vehicles. While they were looking, Bill kept giving Snape curious, suspicious glances that made him long to take his wand and cast a stunning spell on him. But with effort he restrained himself, and eventually they finished up their investigation in the garage.

Then Bill took it into his head to move a heavy box of outdoor Christmas decorations that was wedged in between a metal utility shelf and the riding mower. He struggled with the box until he jammed his thumb, which made him swear. Then he kicked the box.

"Easy, Bill." Scully muttered.

"Don't tell me what to do, Dana."

Scully took his hand and examined his thumb. When she satisfied herself it wasn't broken, she murmured quietly "It's nothing, Bill. Go get some ice from Mom to put on it and drop the 'I'm the boss' attitude while you're at it."

Bill snatched his hand back and glared at her. "Who are you to tell me about attitude? We've been putting up with your attitude for years." His voice went higher, mimicking her, "_My career at the Bureau is sooo important. I can't spend time with my family because my partner needs me_."

"Shhh, Bill." Scully whispered, scandalized.

"No, I won't shush. And you wanna know what else, Dana? I can't help feeling this surveillance is all part of something to do with your job. If you'd just settled down in a normal medical practice like Mom and Dad wanted you to..."

"Will you keep your voice down?" She said, glancing over at Snape, embarrassed to be quarreling with her brother in front of an outsider, but he had retreated to the far corner of the garage where she couldn't see his face--although she was certain he was very aware of their fight.

Bill continued. "But instead, Mom has her house watched..."

"I don't have to listen to this," Scully said quietly and started to inch towards the door.

"Well, answer me one thing before you make your sweeping exit--how much more drama are we supposed to go through? What has to happen before you see reason and get out of the Bureau? You ought to get out while you can--and while you're still alive. Your career's brought this family nothing but grief."

Scully was stung by this accusation and she fought valiantly to keep her voice down. "You're the only one in our family who seems to have a problem with my career, Bill. Mom's never blamed me for anything. You really have a lot of nerve."

"Where is your friend Spooky Mulder, anyway?"

"On the job. And it's none of your business, _anyway_."

"Of course not. It's never my business until somebody's killed," Said Bill bitterly before he turned and walked into the house.

Left behind, Scully bit her lip and stared at the floor. She was humiliated that Snape had been a witness to that unpleasant family scene. She heard him take a step or two towards her.

"Dana..." he started.

"Yeah, uhm--we better go back inside," she mumbled and turned away from him before he could say anything more.


	23. Chapter 23

Chris Carter and 1013 Productions owns the X-Files

Chris Carter and 1013 Productions own the X-Files. JK Rowling, Warner Brothers and Scholastic own Harry Potter. All I own is this story line, every Harry Potter DVD and a complete collection of X-Files DVD's. I wish I owned Fox Mulder.

xXxXxXx

A/N This story is set anytime during _Sorcerers Stone_ through _Prisoner of Azkaban_ of HP (although it contains information in all the books) and after X-Files episode "Emily", but before "Requiem".

xXxXxXx

Scully didn't want to leave her mother alone, under surveillance, and vulnerable. But despite her worry she wasn't able to stay because she was expected back at Hogwarts that very night. It was some small consolation that Bill was there. At least Maggie wouldn't be alone, and besides, Bill was a military man. He would be able to handle a muggle intruder. Besides, he seemed to have cooled down a little. When he and Maggie walked Scully and Snape to the door, he pulled Scully into a hug.

"I shouldn't have lost my temper," he said by way of apologizing. "But I don't like to see my little sister get hurt." And here he glanced pointedly at Snape. "I'm sure you can understand that."

"Naturally," Snape replied, but Scully could see he had little liking for Bill.

Maggie hugged her daughter and shook hands once more with Snape before she waved them out the door. As she stood and watched them drive away, Bill said, "I don't like him, Mom."

Maggie sighed. She was used to Bill's xenophobic reactions to anybody outside their family, but it still annoyed her. "And why don't you like Severus Snape?" She asked in a bored voice.

"I just get a feeling from him. Don't you?

She'd had a feeling about him, but Bill was the last person she'd ever discuss it with. "Dana's not a little kid anymore. She's perfectly capable of choosing her own friends. You should respect that."

"Well, Dana's track record of choosing friends isn't what you would call stellar. Besides, what do we really know about this guy?"

"It doesn't matter. He's a colleague of hers."

Bill scoffed. "Colleague. Yeah, right. He's probably some murderer or something."

Maggie sighed again and shook her head as she closed the front door.

xXxXxXx

"My brother's not a bad person, you know," Scully said absently as she idled at the stoplight.

"That's reassuring."

"Don't be sarcastic, Severus. He just worries about me. Ever since Dad died, he sort of took over as head of the family. At least in his own mind."

"But your job is your own business. It was high-handed of him to try to tell you what to do."

"Yes--I agree with you. But he has reasons for thinking the way he does. Not that I would ever tell him that--he'd only get a big head and say _I told you so_. But about what he said about somebody getting killed," Scully frowned, realized the light had turned green and pressed the accelerator. "My sister, Melissa, was killed by a bullet that was meant for me."

Snape peered at her sideways, wondering if that statement was the prelude to tears. He didn't want to see her sad, but he had a horror of female hysterics. Besides, sympathy wasn't his strong point. He tried to think of something to say that wouldn't sound banal and canned, but would stave off a crying fit, but she wasn't even looking at him. She was looking at the rear-view mirror and her eyes had opened wide.

"Somebody's following us," she said faintly.

"Who?"

She shook her head. "They're too far back. I can't tell."

"What are you going to do?"

Scully chewed on her lower lip and waited until they were approaching a busy intersection. "I'm _not_ going to lead them back to my apartment. Hold on tight." And with that, she made a sudden left turn, swerving around the cars coming at her.

Snape gasped. Horns were honking in the other cars, drivers cursing and making gestures.

Scully was shaking. "I've never tried that before. I'm glad it worked."

"Merlin, Dana! What are you doing?"

"Trying to elude pursuit. But not for long." She looked into the mirror and swore quietly. "They're still behind us. Far behind us, but..." and with that she made a quick right turn onto another road and sped up slightly. "I hope I don't get stopped for speeding."

She drove for a couple more blocks, then a mile, two miles. Finally she made another right onto a rural road. They passed some fields and farms and she peered into her rear-view mirror. "I don't see them anymore, but that doesn't mean I've lost them." And with that she turned off the road onto a gravel driveway.

The little stones crunched under the tires as she drove. "This land used to be an organic-pick-your-own farm. But they went out of business a few months ago. This is as good a place as any to hide," Scully murmured as she glanced in the mirror.

The driveway was lined with birch trees and opened out into a gravel parking lot lined with mature arborvitae. She looked around, pulled into a corner and cut the engine.

"I'm sure they already know where I live--the people who are following us--but that doesn't mean I have to lead them there. Especially because I don't know what they want."

"Won't they see the car here?"

"They might. Maybe the shrubbery will hide the car. But the buildings are too close together to drive between and the fences block off the fields. Besides, if they're that determined to get to me, they'll do it. And seeing that neither of us is technically supposed to be here in the States in the first place, the last thing we want to do is draw attention to ourselves in a crowded public area. And so..."

She climbed out of the car and he did, too.

HOGWARTS

STAFF ROOM

Mulder sat in one of the worn, overstuffed chairs listening to a rather long and droning dissertation about the Troll Insurgencies delivered by Professor Binns when he happened to notice Professor McGonagall hurry in and whisper something into the Headmaster's ear.

"I was afraid there'd be trouble." Dumbledore muttered. And with the briefest glance at Mulder, he rose and walked briskly out of the room with McGonagall.

Mulder followed them into the hall. "What's going on?"

Dumbledore stopped and frowned slightly. "They've run into some difficulties in retrieving the data."

"Difficulties? What does that mean? What's going on?" Mulder repeated himself.

"Apparently, some person or persons objects to Agent Scully, or her work, and they are trying to stop her." And with that the Headmaster continued walking towards his office.

Mulder had trouble keeping up with the older man--he moved surprisingly quickly for his age. "Is she okay?"

"I don't know. I was afraid there might be some trouble when I sent them."

"Did you know she was walking into a trap?"

"Why Agent Mulder! I never said she was walking into a trap. Furthermore, I'm surprised at you--nobody can _know _the future. But I knew it was a _possibility_."

"She didn't need to go back. You should have forbidden her."

"Agent Scully asked to go," admonished Dumbledore. "I think you underestimate your partner. Come with me to my office. I'm going to try to find out what's going on. But she's fully capable of taking care of herself."

_Except when she's not._ Mulder thought gloomily as he followed the headmaster.

MARYLAND COUNTRYSIDE

"This used to be the store," Scully said as she quickly led Snape through the abandoned farm, pointing out the different buildings. "That--of course--was the farmhouse. And the barns and granaries are in those buildings back there..."

The crunch of gravel and the revving of an engine could be heard in the distance. Scully's eyes grew wide and she peered around quickly. "Here," she said, "Into the barn." And she took off running.

He followed close behind, ducking into the barn after her. It was a prefab steel building of fairly recent construction, but it was still dusty and close, with old straw moldering on the floor and the faint, lingering scent of animals remained despite being unoccupied for several months. "It didn't take them long," he muttered.

"I knew they were following me," Scully breathed. Her eyes adjusted to the barn's dim interior. But the dust made her want to sneeze.

As they listened, the crunch of gravel grew louder, then stopped. After that the squeak of a car door opening, a slam as it shut, and footsteps approaching.

"I can hear them coming--they know I'm here," she mouthed, barely talking in a whisper. And she carefully removed her gun from its holster and slid the safety back. Snape reached for his wand, but she put her hand over his and shook her head vehemently. "We're in my world now," she reminded him. "Here you have to play by our rules."

The footsteps were approaching closer and closer. The barn was the first open building on the property, and they would probably look there first. She glanced down and noticed a rock near her foot. She picked it up and threw across the barn, hitting the metal wall opposite with a loud crash.

They heard the footsteps hesitate, then turn in their direction. A man entered the barn, following the sound, and headed towards the wall where she'd thrown the rock. He was armed. Steadying her gun with both hands and pointing it at the man, she said loudly and firmly, "Federal agent--drop your weapon and put your hands in the air where I can see them. Do it! Now!"

The man stopped short, hesitated, then slowly reached over to put his gun on the ground. "You're fighting for the wrong side, Agent Scully," he said, shaking his head and chuckling.

"Turn around, slowly, and put your hands on your head" she ordered. "How do you know my name?"

The stranger did as he was told. When he was facing her he replied, "You don't realize just how powerful your opponent is. You can't even begin to imagine how strong his weapons are."

"Step away from the gun and kneel down, hands on your head." Scully kept her gun pointed at him. "I don't know what enemy you're talking about."

"Oh, I think you do," said a second voice.

From the shadows emerged a man Scully had never seen before, and he was a wizard. At least, Scully knew he was a wizard because he had his wand out and pointed directly at Snape. And to her surprise, she realized Snape had his own wand out, pointed defensively in return. When had he done that? She hadn't noticed his stealthy movements while she was dealing with the muggle.

"And you," the strange wizard continued, directing his words at Snape who hadn't moved from his place in the shadows. "You definitely need to rethink your priorities. Just because the Dark Lord lost the War doesn't mean he was driven out of existence. A lot of us still believe in what he taught us about the place of muggles."

"Who are you working for?" Snape asked. His expression didn't change, but Scully noticed the strain in his voice when he spoke.

The other wizard smiled. "I work for somebody, who _must not be named_, to coin a phrase, but who believes in keeping muggles in their place."

"What about him?" Snape asked as he tipped his head towards the kneeling muggle as Scully kept her gun trained on him.

The wizard shrugged and looked contemptuous. "He..."

"I can speak for myself," the muggle spat out. He seemed to need to prove himself to his wizard companion, but he directed his words to Scully. "You're an intelligent woman, Agent Scully. You should be able to understand reason. I've seen wizard power. It's stronger than anything we have. But they're willing to live peacefully with us as long as we cooperate with them."

"Cooperate? What does that mean?" Scully asked.

"It means they'll give us their protection as long as we don't hinder them."

"Hinder them? How do they think we'll hinder them? And who do we need protection from? Other muggles? We can do that for ourselves. Or are there a few wizards we need protection from? If so, this sounds suspiciously like negotiating with terrorists."

"I can see you think I'm a coward," the man sighed. "Or have no self-respect."

"That's right. I do think you're a coward," she replied scornfully.

"But can't you see it's better to go along and stay alive, rather than fight a battle we have no chance of winning?"

Scully shook her head. "No. Because I don't believe the outcome is that certain. But even if I did, I wouldn't dream of knuckling under."

"That will do," the strange wizard interjected. "I have better things to do than listen to a muggle squabble. Besides, it's obvious we're at an impasse--one wizard and one muggle versus another wizard and another muggle. But if you had been alone, Dana Scully, this interview would have ended quite differently. We'll go now, and we don't want any trouble. Agreed?"

"Agreed," Snape answered.

Scully glanced at him, not sure she liked him answering for her--after all this was her world, and her jurisdiction. But then her attention was diverted. "Don't even think about taking your gun," she warned as she saw the man inch towards his weapon. He looked questioningly at the wizard, who nodded and gestured towards him.

And with that, they were gone.

Scully replaced her weapon in the holster. "That could have been a pitched battle, Severus. And I'm not sure who would have won. Why do you suppose he backed down?"

"He didn't precisely back down. You heard what he said--we were evenly matched. But I think his intention was to give you a warning--not to kill you. And if you'd been outnumbered, they might have tried to intimidate or abduct you. Dumbledore must have known something like this would happen. Aren't you glad you weren't caught alone? Because you would have been if you flew out all by yourself."

Scully shrugged. She still wasn't ready to concede his point.

DANA SCULLY RESIDENCE

GEORGETOWN DC

"I've kept this hidden in my apartment for some time. I had a hunch I might need it someday," Scully said as she dragged a chair over to the closet and climbed up on it. She pushed some boxes aside then lifted one of the ceiling tiles in the back corner with one hand. With the other hand, she felt around up inside the ceiling until she found the envelope she was looking for. She brushed the dust off, opened it and rifled through the papers inside and nodded to herself. "It's all here."

"If you had it hidden away here, why did you think you might have to go to Headquarters?" He was standing beside her chair and lifted up his hands to help her down.

She accepted the help with a nod of thanks and as she dragged the chair back to the dining room she gave him a cynical smile. "Just because something is hidden away under lock and key doesn't mean it's safe. Besides, this is just the copy. If it were lost, then I'd have to get the original."

"Now you have your data, we can go back to Hogwarts."

"Oh yeah, sure. Aparition," she mumbled. Her eyes scanned the room and stopped at her computer. "Before we go, can I check my email?"

"We shouldn't stay here any longer than necessary. Dumbledore instructed us..."

"It will only take a minute," she said as she hurried to her desk and sat down. She turned on her computer and called over her shoulder, "Go help yourself to whatever's in the fridge. There might be soda. I haven't been to the supermarket in a long time, so I'm not sure. But you should be able to find something. Or you can make some tea." She swiveled around in her chair. "You do know how to work a stove, don't you?"

He sniffed contemptuously. "It's just a stove--not legilimency."

She shrugged and turned back to her screen. "Fine. Help yourself. I've got some Lipton tea bags in the canister on the right."

"That's quite all right. I'll wait until we get back to Hogwarts."

Scully scoffed. "I've heard about British people being picky about tea, but I thought it was just a stereotype."

She clacked away at the keyboard for some time, then suddenly the screen went blank. "What happened?" She wondered aloud. "It's never done this before," she said to Snape who was standing right behind her. "I hope I didn't lose all my messages." She typed some keystrokes, then hit the computer desk impatiently. "No, this can't be happening," she complained as she pushed her computer's on/off switch, trying to find her mail, then gave up and pushed her chair back. "I don't believe this." She stood up and stomped furiously into her kitchen. "I had all my messages--I had them right there, I..." she stopped and stared at the screen. "No, wait, wait. I think..." and she ran back to her chair and hit some keys. "Whew. It's back. it's not ruined at all. Let me just--no!" She glanced back at Snape again. "I lost it, a second time. What on earth is going on here? Maybe I can get it back if I--I need a pen and paper. There should be one over on the counter--could you get them for me?" As he went to get the things, she turned back to the screen. "Oh--I got it! let me print it out...ooh--it's gone again! No wait" she stopped, swiveled around in her chair and looked at him accusingly "--it's you! You're doing something to my computer--what are you doing?"

"I'm not doing anything."

"Yes you are, you've been walking around the room...it must be your wand, interfering with the electronics. Would you please turn that thing off?"

"Wands don't _turn off"_" he said indignantly. "Magic is in their very nature."

""Then put it over on that table. I don't care. It just can't be _here_."

"I'm not going to leave my wand behind."

"Not behind, just over on the table."

"A wizard's wand is more important than his right hand. And not the least of its uses is for protection. I don't see you surrendering your gun."

The quarrel was interrupted by a knock at the door. Scully looked at Snape with some alarm as she stood up and padded quietly to the door. She peered out the peephole as another knock sounded.

"Open up, Agent Scully. It's Skinner."

Her eyes widened with surprise, but she let him in. He closed the door quickly behind him.

"What the hell are you doing here, Agent Scully?" He said by way of greeting.

"I needed some information for this case, Sir," she answered as if flying back from Scotland on a whim was the most reasonable thing in the world.

"And I believe I sent you and agent Mulder overseas on assignment."

She put up a hand. "We're returning there tonight. Now, in fact."

"You had better. And for future reference, when I send you away on an assignment like this, I don't expect to have you coming traipsing back here before it's completed."

Scully listened patiently to this tirade, then said, "I understand Sir, but...if I may ask--how did you know I was here?"

"I have my ways--not the least of which is Headmaster Dumbledore. But it might interest you to know he wasn't the first one to alert me to your presence."

Scully felt a chill down her spine. "We came from my mother's," she said evasively, not wanting to cop to the encounter at the abandoned farm. "And it's not as if we sent out advance warning about our arrival..."

"I'm surprised at you, Agent Scully. You know there's always somebody watching."

That was true, but it was still disconcerting to hear. Maybe she would have been better off following Dumbledore's orders to the letter--grab the information from the apartment and get out. She hoped she didn't get the Headmaster into any trouble with the Ministry. Thinking about Dumbledore reminded Scully she hadn't introduced Snape to her boss. She proceeded to do so.

"I know who you are," Skinner told Snape. "You're the one Dumbledore assigned to protect Agent Scully."

Scully's eyes narrowed. "Protect me? No, I'm afraid you're mistaken sir, he's not here to protect me. Professor Snape was only assigned to bring me here quickly and back to Hogwarts again." She saw the two men glance at each other and she turned on Snape. "Or_ is_ that the reason you were told to bring me here? To protect me?"

"I have my orders, Agent Scully," Snape answered. "And I have to follow them, just the same as you."

"Not to mention," Skinner added, "I sent you and Mulder away for your own good."

"What are you talking about?" Scully asked, puzzled.

"Why do you think I gave you this assignment?" Skinner asked heatedly. "Why do you think I sent you so far away? It was for your own safety."

"I don't understand."

Skinner sighed. "You and Mulder came a little too close to some truths you weren't supposed to discover. Facts about the wizarding world and its connection to our world. When I was warned about the kind of danger you were in..." He shrugged. "Let's just say it was very lucky when Albus Dumbledore contacted me those several weeks ago. If he hadn't taken a personal interest in you two, there's no telling what would have happened to you. As it is, you've made some enemies."

"There's a shock," Scully muttered.

"Anyway," Skinner paused and lowered his voice. "I brought you the information you were looking for."

"You did? How did you know what I needed?"

"I was the one who sent you on that assignment, remember?" And he handed her a manila envelope. "This is the picture you were looking for--the one where the Dark Mark is clearly visible on the victim's left forearm."

Scully pulled out the glossy photograph, looked at it closely and sighed.

"What is it, Agent Scully?"

"Did you put yourself into a lot of danger to bring me this?" She asked quietly.

He shrugged. "There's always danger."

"Well, the reason I'm asking is...because I already have a copy."

"What are you talking about?"

"You told me once," she hesitated, "that you had evidence on your desk that was possibly damaging to Mulder. That you hadn't turned it in to Section Chief Blevins. Yet. I needed to see that evidence for myself. And," she said slowly, "I copied it."

Skinner turned abruptly and paced to the window. Then he turned, put his hands on his hips and glared at her. "You had no authorization to do that."

"And with all due respect, Sir, you had no authorization to divert it in the first place."

"Do you realize the trouble you could get us both into if the knowledge of what you did leaked out? This is a classified file."

"Is it? Because, as you yourself told me, it was never filed to begin with."

"That was different. I had responsibilities. I had to look out for you and Mulder."

"Which fact I didn't know at the time, Sir. I thought the day would come that I would need it. But I promise, this information will be put to good use."

Skinner looked around. "Forget it. We can discuss this when the case is over. You both have to leave now."

"I agree," Snape stepped forward. "Agent Scully, are you ready?"

"Yes. Let me shut down my computer." But before she reached her desk, she whirled around. "What about my car--it's out in the parking lot and..."

"I'll take care of it," Skinner said. "But you don't seem to understand. Your car is the least of your worries"

"I'm ready to leave," she said as she took the arm Snape held out for her. "But Sir," she said to Skinner, "I think you overestimate how much protection I need."

"Agent Scully, I think you underestimate how much danger you're in."

She tossed her keys to him, and Snape began the aparitions back to Hogwarts.


	24. Chapter 24

Chris Carter and 1013 Productions owns the X-Files

Chris Carter and 1013 Productions own the X-Files. JK Rowling, Warner Brothers and Scholastic own Harry Potter. All I own is this story line, every Harry Potter DVD and a complete collection of X-Files DVD's. I wish I owned Fox Mulder.

xXxXxXx

A/N This story is set anytime during _Sorcerers Stone_ through _Prisoner of Azkaban_ of HP (although it contains information in all the books) and after X-Files episode "Emily", but before "Requiem".

xXxXxXx

JUST OUTSIDE THE HOGWARTS GROUNDS

1:30 AM GREENWICH MEAN TIME

When they arrived at Hogwarts, Scully was shocked to find quite a little crowd waiting for them. It seemed that the entire staff of the school turned out to see them arrive back safely.

Mulder got to her first, and he looked visibly relieved. He pulled her a few paces away from the others and looked worried as he chafed her upper arms.

"What happened, Scully? We heard there was trouble."

"There was. A little. We were intercepted. But nobody got hurt and I'm fine, Mulder," she replied, stepping back from him.

He crossed his arms and leaned in to her. "You shouldn't have gone, Scully. It was too dangerous."

"No, you're wrong. I found the data. _And_ Skinner gave me the original photo."

"Skinner...? How did he...?"

"Apparently Assistant Director Skinner is better connected than we ever realized."

Before Mulder could answer, there was a loud _ahem!_ and Dumbledore's voice carried over everybody's. "As excited as we all are that Agent Scully and Professor Snape have returned to us, we really ought to have our conference in the castle where it's cozy and warm."

It really was cold, Scully realized as she pulled her jacket around herself. She regretted not wearing long pants as they made their way up the windy hill. She and Mulder walked together a little apart from the others, whispering together.

Dumbledore had a few low-voiced questions for Snape, and he answered them dutifully, but his eyes drifted occasionally to Scully as she conferred with her partner.

The headmaster saw Snape looking at Scully. "I need to talk to Agent Scully, but you can have her back when I'm done."

"Whatever you say," Snape replied.

When they arrived at the castle, Dumbledore dispersed the crowd, declaring that this was a private meeting. He only needed the two FBI agents, and professors McGonagall and Snape.

After the extraneous faculty had dispersed (many of them grumbling about being left out of the conference), and they were comfortably ensconced in Dumbledore's office, the headmaster asked Scully, "Did you find the data you were looking for?"

"I did." She handed the interoffice envelope to him. He smiled a bit at this muggle artifact, with its column of names written on and crossed out as the envelope was passed from user to user. Those muggles really could be quite innovative! He unwound the red string, took out the photo, and stared at it. Then he took out the other papers and spread them out on his desk. He skimmed them, nodding from time to time, before he looked at her.

"Excellent work, Agent Scully, how fortunate you remembered this piece of evidence."

"Thank you sir," she mumbled as she stared at her hands.

"What is it, Agent Scully?" he asked gently.

She picked at her cuticle. She was almost afraid to ask the next question, afraid of the implications of the answer she already knew in her heart. "Is it certain that man--Scott Ostelhoff--was a dark wizard?"

Dumbledore nodded. "Yes, I'm afraid so. We lost track of several of them after Voldemort's disappearance. Most were rounded up and either sent to Azkaban or acquitted on the plea of Imperious Curse. But a few escaped altogether and he was one of them. Did you know him personally?"

She shook her head. "I never spoke to him in life. I only saw him post mortem. And apart from his DOD photo, I never even saw his face. He was shot, you know, in the head--it's right in that report."

Dumbledore shrugged. "Wizards are vulnerable to guns, also."

"But what I don't understand is--why did he escape to the US?" Mulder asked. "I must state it's very disturbing that he was a DOD employee. He was in a position of authority over the very people he hated."

"That's right," Dumbledore replied. "But don't you see? It was the perfect disguise! Who would look for a muggle-hater in a muggle government organization?"

"Then surely you can understand my concerns about somebody like that in a position of power..." Mulder added.

Dumbledore shook his head. "I do understand. But although he was a dangerous man, he wasn't dangerous in the way you're thinking. He wouldn't have wanted to rise to power in any muggle government. Death Eaters don't look at the world the way you do. What muggles see as power would have been beneath him--and to dominate muggles by muggle means would have only proved he was a weak wizard. Any muggle deaths he might have done to further Voldemort's cause of wizard supremacy would have had to be by wizard means--to prove his ascendancy over his victims."

Scully raised an eyebrow at him. This sounded like something Mulder would say--in fact, he and Mulder were nodding knowingly to each other. Dumbledore sounded like a profiler. Of course, she'd also seen him act as a diplomat and an administrator. Not to mention she read his history and knew all about his achievements. And despite her private reservations about Dumbledore's schemes and motivations, she had to admit he was knowledgeable in a wide range of subjects.

Dumbledore continued. "He only used muggles as a way to hide. And because of where he decided to hide, he seems to have cultivated some influential muggle associates. I strongly suspect that his associates were kingmakers, if you will--the type of men who tend to lurk behind the scenes and in the shadows, but be pulling the strings just the same--the type of men who would go so far as to not be known by their real names. There were quite a few Dark wizards like that, so he'd have been well acquainted with that type. But just the same, although he associated with men like that, he would never have wanted power in the conventional muggle sense. Besides, he may have also been held back by fear of Voldemort."

"Wouldn't You Know Who approve of his anti-muggle activities?"

"He would, just as long as Ostelhoff didn't give the appearance of wanting to rival his own influence. Remember, Voldemort wants to conquer muggles and put them under subjugation to wizards, _and_ he wants to conquer the wizarding world itself--the Tom Riddle I know has no wish to share his power with any serious rival."

Scully and Mulder looked at each other.

"You make You Know Who's intentions towards muggles sound like enslavement," Scully said.

"He was never entirely clear what he meant by _subjugation_," the Headmaster replied, "But that's a reasonable guess."

"Enslavement again," muttered Mulder. "Why does every other race we meet want to enslave us? I mean, we're not perfect, but this is ridiculous."

"But back to the issue at hand," Scully continued, "Ostelhoff seemed to have a personal vendetta against Agent Mulder."

"Isn't the reason obvious?" He turned to Mulder. "Your steadfast belief in what you muggles call the paranormal would have naturally attracted his attention. Especially because you were gathering evidence to support your claims and getting closer to finding our world--even though you didn't realize it. Ostelhoff rejected our values, but it was the only world he ever really felt comfortable in. He was afraid of being found out and exposing our world."

"He was spying on me," Mulder replied. "For two years."

"I don't doubt it," replied Dumbledore. "His muggles bosses thought he was working for them, but in fact, they were giving him the perfect opportunity to hide and to follow an agenda all his own--or Voldemort's agenda, if you will."

Scully shook her head. "Look. I realize people aren't always what they seem to be." Then she laughed harshly and put her head in her hand. "I've even seen people who can change their outward appearance at will." With her eyes lowered, she didn't see Dumbledore start. "But I always thought I knew what the sides were, who our opponents are. I didn't even know about your people before a few weeks ago, but until now I never dreamed..."

"That there is a very real threat from some quarter you never heard of," Dumbledore supplied.

"Yes." She started to say something else, then hesitated.

"What is it, Agent Scully?" The Headmaster prompted.

"Who can I trust anymore? Now that I know about you people--and now after everything I've seen tonight--I'm going to suspect everybody I don't know of being...I don't even know what I'll suspect, but..."

"That sounds a little paranoid, doesn't it Doctor Scully?" Dumbledore's eyes twinkled at her. "I suggest you go on doing what you've been doing."

"Which is what?"

"Trust no one."

Scully and Mulder looked at each other, shocked.

Dumbledore stood up. "I think we've all been up late enough. I think we'll all do better for a good night's sleep."

Scully rose to her feet, but made no move to leave. Instead, she leaned across the desk and asked softly, "Sir, I need to talk to you for a moment. Privately."

He sighed, knowing what was coming next. "Very well."

Mulder came up next to her--he hadn't heard what she said to Dumbledore. "You ready to go back Scully?"

"Just one moment," she replied.

Dumbledore elaborated. "She asked to speak to me in private. You may wait in the hall."

"You don't need to wait. I'll bring her back," spoke another voice. Mulder turned around to see Snape. He hadn't heard him approach the desk.

Mulder bristled slightly at what he perceived as a high-handed claim on Scully's time, but before he could answer, he noticed Dumbledore studying both himself and Snape closely over his glasses. He remembered that he was the guest here, and instead, he lifted his hands slightly. "Fine. I'll go back myself." With that he turned to leave, McGonagall following just after him.

"And Severus," Dumbledore continued, "I've arranged to have your classes covered. By myself, in fact. You don't have to report to Potions tomorrow. I'm sure the time differences--what the muggles call jet lag--will have taken their toll. You're dismissed." And with that Snape strode out to the corridor, closing the door behind him.

When she heard the door click shut, Scully wasted no time in confronting Dumbledore. "Why is my mother under wizarding surveillance? What do you know that you're not telling me?"

The older man looked at her compassionately and sighed. "I know there are wizards _and _muggles involved. I also know they started watching her around the time you went into Hogsmeade."

Scully figured it out in her head. That was right, according to Maggie's reckoning, but until this moment she hadn't seen the connection. "But why? I didn't break any wizarding laws when I went there--you gave me your own permission--it was work related."

"...Which would carry weight with most wizards most of the time, but it only goes to prove my theory that Voldemort is rallying his followers again."

Scully exhaled sharply and angrily. "What your people do is your own business--none of mine. But I don't want my mother caught in the crossfire of some Wizarding civil war."

Dumbledore held up a placating hand. "Not to worry. I have my own people watching her. She's been placed under protective enchantments."

"By you? Did you personally perform the enchantments?"

He smiled slightly at the faith in him her tone implied. "No. By an associate of mine."

"But I _know_ you, and you're supposed to be so powerful. Why couldn't you do it yourself?"

"I _am_ powerful, Agent Scully," he replied and his eyes twinkled. Then he sighed again and his face became serious. "But I felt, and I think you would agree with this, that there was the need for the utmost discretion. Let me put this in terms you would be likely to understand. It's a poor analogy, but it's the best I can come up with at the moment--the amount of magic--the energy requirements, if you will--necessary to give your mother the level of protection she needed, would have been instantly recognizable to other wizards, both inside and outside the Ministry, if I had tried to perform the enchantments from Hogwarts. Time and space matter in magic, Agent Scully. My witch colleague--who lives in the same town as your mother--can give her a stronger protective spell without drawing attention to herself."

She nodded. "I've heard that before--about the effects of time and space on magic."

He came around the desk and put a hand on her shoulder. "On behalf of the wizarding world I apologize for the harassment of your mother. Maybe now that you've been back home the surveillance will stop--but I'll keep her under protection just the same."


	25. Chapter 25

Chris Carter and 1013 Productions owns the X-Files

Chris Carter and 1013 Productions own the X-Files. JK Rowling, Warner Brothers and Scholastic own Harry Potter. All I own is this story line, every Harry Potter DVD and a complete collection of X-Files DVD's.

xXxXxXx

A/N This story is set anytime during _Sorcerers Stone_ through _Prisoner of Azkaban_ of HP (although it contains information in all the books) and after X-Files episode "Emily", but before "Requiem".

xXxXxXx

Outside the office, Scully leaned back against the wall and passed a hand over her eyes.

"So you were sent along to protect me?" She muttered to Snape, who had been waiting there, alone, for her. "To protect me in my own world?"

She seemed to be challenging him, and he could tell she wasn't pleased. But rather than defend himself, he decided on a counter attack. "Weren't you assigned a partner when you joined the Bureau? And aren't you expected to defend each other?"

"No...that's not precisely how it works. You only have a partner when you go out into the field. But this is completely different. You're not one of us--not Bureau. You're a civilian."

That didn't sound much like a compliment, or gratitude. "What you fail to realize, Dana, is that the only way Headmaster Dumbledore would allow you to retrieve the data was if you were under my protection. That was our agreement."

She turned her face away from him so he couldn't see her expression.

"I'll take you back to your room," Snape said, after they stood together in silence for a few moments.

"No," she answered quickly, facing him and touching his arm lightly. "The _last_ place I want to go is to my room. I really don't want to be alone right now."

He looked around. "We can't stand out here all night. Come along."

She heaved herself away from the wall and allowed him steer her down the numerous hallways and moving flights of stairs. It was dark, much darker than usual when they patrolled, for it was well on into the night now and most of the torches had been extinguished, but she saw (with a faint sense of amusement) that he used his wand as a flashlight. They were moving downward now, into and under the castle, she knew, for she felt the chill in the air after they'd descended a few flights. At last they were at his quarters. After he unlocked the door and propelled her inside with a hand on her back, he lit the fireplace and peered into the simmering Veritaserum. Scully sank onto the threadbare couch with a sigh and watched him.

"What do you have to do to it now?" She asked. They hadn't spoken since outside Dumbledore's office and the silence was heavy--she felt she needed to say something, make conversation.

"Not a thing. It just has to age." He sat on the opposite end of the couch.

Scully looked down at her hands, then looked up at him. "What did you think of my world?"

"It was...adequate...for muggles."

The strain of the evening was too much for her--she laughed abruptly. "That means you hated it. No, I'm not offended. Sometimes I hate it, too. And on nights like tonight I wonder if Bill isn't right and I should never have joined the Bureau."

"But it's your career. What else would you do? What else do you really want?"

Scully frowned, then gave him a wry smile. "Right at this moment? What I really want is a drink."

Faster than her eyes could follow or her brain comprehend, he produced a bottle of wine and two glasses. She didn't' t ask where they came from, just accepted the glass, drank deeply and sighed as she felt the warmth steal through her veins.

"I'm glad you don't have class tomorrow," she said. "I'm not sure I could sit through a lecture in the mood I'm in--no offence."

He nodded. "But if you had no choice..."

"...Then duty first."

He looked piercingly at her. "If you understand the obligations of duty, you should understand why I had to be with you this evening."

"Oh..." she said, with an impatient wave. "I don't care about that anymore. And I don't want to talk about it." She drained her glass and held it out to him to be refilled. "Would you be surprised to know that there are times since I've been on this assignment I've caught myself wishing I could escape to here?"

He filled her glass. "But you know by now the wizarding world is no escape and no paradise. Not that I would ever live muggle again, but..."

"Yeah, you've said that before." She grinned. "The irony is, as much as I've come to love Hogwarts--yes, I do love it here--there's so much about this place that the rational mind simply can't accept. But I'm still drawn to it."

"I don't believe I understand you. What's irrational about Hogwarts? What can't you accept?"

"This! All of it!" She waved her free hand in a circle around her. "Stairs that move, paintings that talk, Dark wizards who come back from the dead. Not to mention that whole thing you call magic."

"But you've lived with us for weeks. You should be used to our ways by now."

"I know I should. But I'm a scientist, Severus. I need to understand _how_ you make a broom fly or chess pieces walk and talk."

"And I've explained it to you. It's magic."

"No, that's just it. You haven't explained anything at all. You just call everything _magic_ and think that's an explanation."

He tried to be patient. "Then why don't you tell me exactly what it is you want to know. If it's not knowledge that's reserved for wizards only, I'll try to explain it to you."

Scully put her head down on her hand and thought for a moment. "Okay. For instance. Where did this wine glass come from?"

"I conjured it."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Are you toying with me? Because if you are, it isn't very funny. How did you conjure it?"

"With a spell--weren't you watching?"

"Watching? Watching? _Watching_ is all I've been doing for weeks! But it doesn't begin to tell me how a spell works."

"It works because it works."

She stared hard at him and realized he wasn't playing a mind game with her. Or at least, that wasn't his intent. He really believed it when he said the cause was _magic_.

"Then let me put it this way," she tried. "What is magic? What does it all mean? Why can you say a certain word and make things float around the room and I can't?"

"Because I'm a wizard and you're a muggle."

She sighed heavily. "Deceive, inveigle, obfuscate."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Never mind. It's nothing."

They sat in silence for a while, each lost in their thoughts.

"I'm willing to wager," Snape broke into the silence. "That you have a theory--to explain all _this_."

"I do. I have two theories, in fact. But let me tell you up front--I don't believe you have an extraterrestrial origin."

"Of course we don't," he stated indignantly. "We're from Earth the same as you."

"Then let me tell you my second best theory--genetic mutation. Your ability to manipulate objects could just possibly be a function of your genes or brain structure."

"What would that have to do with anything?" He asked, eyes narrowing with suspicion.

"With a slightly altered genetic structure, you could theoretically have abilities that muggles don't have. There are precedents in nature for this--the way every animal has certain abilities that make them unique. For instance, bees can see ultraviolet light, but we can't." She took a sip, then looked up at him quickly. "You_ can't_ see in that spectrum, can you?"

"Don't be absurd," he replied irritably.

"Don't be defensive. It's a perfectly legitimate question. And maybe some day one of your people will submit to genome mapping or CT studies."

"No we won't," he stated firmly. "But you haven't told me your first theory."

"Oh yeah. My best theory--I think your people have developed a different technology than mine have that allows you to manipulate objects in a different way than my people do. But of course, the major problem with this theory is that it doesn't explain why only your people can use this technology. For instance, why can't I say a spell and have it work?"

"Because it's magic, and you're a muggle."

"No!" She insisted vehemently. "That's _not _a good enough answer!"

"Why won't you listen?" He said heatedly. "I'm telling you, the answer is magic and nothing more. There is no other answer."

She shook her head impatiently. "You're _wrong_, Severus. The answer is out there, I just haven't found it yet."

"Good luck searching," he said dryly.

She sat silently again, staring into her wine glass. Then, "Back there in the barn, that muggle said wizarding power is stronger than muggle power. Do you suppose that's true?" He didn't answer, and she glanced at him, only to see him looking at her with suspicion once more. "What's the matter--did I say something wrong?" She asked.

"Surely you must know that's a very loaded--not to mention dangerous--question."

"I don't see what's so dangerous about it. Our people aren't enemies. In fact, most of my people are completely unaware of your very existence.'

"But we have to keep ourselves hidden from you muggles. That doesn't exactly make us allies."

"That's still no reason to react as if my question were some sort of military espionage. The way I see it, all the threats of violence are coming from your people. You Know Who and his followers want to eliminate--or subjugate--_us_. Not the other way around."

He frowned and looked away.

"I've been reading through Hogwarts' library for weeks, Severus. Furthermore, I've personally seen what you call magic, performed by actual wizards. Even if you didn't come right out and tell me yourself, I've been getting a pretty good idea of what your people are capable of. But," she said, leaning back against the sofa cushions and shrugging, "if you don't feel comfortable telling me, I'll respect that."

"No, I trust you, Dana. You aren't interested in stealing our secrets. And even if you did, you couldn't even begin to reproduce most of the things we can do...The truth is--both sides have certain advantages. Your biggest muggle advantage is that you outnumber us. And, your technology has advanced extremely rapidly in the last hundred years. Furthermore, muggle weapons can harm us--we're not impervious to bullets or bombs, although we can cast protective spells against them if we have enough warning they're coming. Unfortunately, the effects of these spells are only temporary. But on the other hand, our biggest advantage is the ability to blend in with your people. Some wizards live among muggles their whole lives without their neighbors ever suspecting what they really are. We also have some very powerful and destructive spells at our disposal, although their use would be generally frowned upon by most ethical wizards. On a less destructive scale, we can induce hallucinations for purposes of subterfuge or we can even obliviate your memories." He frowned even deeper, and Scully could see that concession--the admission that muggles did indeed have some advantages--cost him much.

"Of course," she said softly, "this is all academic because we're not at war."

"Not yet," he replied, equally as softly.

She swirled the last drops in her glass, then drained it. "But aren't you curious about magic? Didn't you ever wonder where this ability comes from? Or even what this ability is? What it's essential nature is?"

"Are you back on that again? Let me tell you once and for all. I _don't _wonder about it. I never did. I never will. Never. But perhaps _you're_ wrong, Dana. Maybe you spend so much time worrying about how to explain this that you can't just open your mind to the possibility that there are some things you will never be able to quantify in a laboratory. Maybe there's more to the world than what your precious science has discovered."

He half expected her to become angry or even more pensive by this answer, but to his surprise, she laughed shortly. She was thinking how much like Mulder that sounded. "I'll never stop looking for the answers, Severus. But I'll drop it for now. Okay?" Then she sighed, shifted sideways, and leaned back against him. She held up her glass again for a refill.

"No, you've had enough, Dana."

"Since when did you become my mom?"

He took the glass away from her and she rose up to snatch it back, but yelped when she felt her hair yanked. Her hand flew to her head. "I'm stuck," she muttered as she tried to untangle her hair from the buttons on his waistcoat. He tried to help her, but only succeeded in pulling it painfully.

"Ow, stop it!" She implored. "I'll do it myself." She lifted her other hand and fiddled with her hair until she freed all but one button. "You'll have to get me some scissors," she finally declared.

"What are you planning to do?" He asked warily.

"Just get me the scissors. Conjure them or something. I need them."

"But..."

"Do it now!"

She felt him push a little pair into her hand, and she gingerly snipped until her head was free. She pulled away from him, fluffing her hair back into place with one hand and in her other hand was a little black button. She picked the strands of her hair out of it before she held it out to him. "It was the only way. Sorry. Wizards can sew buttons, can't they?"

He took it from her and pocketed it. "House elves' work," he sniffed contemptuously. "Of course you could have just let me untangle you with magic."

"Oh, let me guess--the _Untanglio_ spell. Right?"

He looked at her hard.

"Was I right?" She smiled. "Is that really the name of the spell? But you should know by now, I prefer to do things the unmagical way."

"That's easy to say when you don't have a choice."

"Perhaps...except you're forgetting that as long as I'm on this assignment, I do have a choice. I'm surrounded by witches and wizards who will ungrudgingly help me with their magic--even the children. And in spite of it all, I've learned I_ like _to do things the muggle way--even though I never knew there was a _muggle way_ until a few weeks ago."

The strain of the evening was starting to work on him and this little declaration of her independence added to it. He didn't show it at the time, but he'd been very afraid for her when she was being followed, and afraid for her once again in the barn. He knew that she was a highly trained law enforcement officer, saw for himself that she was perfectly able to defend herself, but that hadn't stopped him from wanting to protect her with his own skills. He didn't like to think what might have happened if she'd encountered that wizard armed only with her gun. He put one arm around her and pushed back her hair with his other hand. "It's very rare," he said, "that I have the chance to have an engaging conversation with anybody. And when I finally do find an intelligent mind, it happens to belong to a muggle. I wish you had been born a witch."

"Yes, you told me that before," she answered. "But does it matter? Can't we still be friends?"

"Friends," he murmured as he pulled her closer. "Is this what you call friendship?"

The wine was swirling through her veins, going to her head, fogging it a bit. That, and the feel of his mouth on hers, his hands on her back, was making her dizzy as she melted in to him. She ran her hand down his chest, and the doctor in her smiled. Despite his cool, detached exterior, she could feel his heart pounding rapidly in his chest.

"...Dana, what are you doing?" He could feel her fingers fumbling at his buttons.

"It's very warm in here," she said softly. "Do you need to wear this coat?"

He grabbed her wrist and she looked up at him. "Besides, it needs to be repaired anyway. And you are wearing a shirt underneath."

He looked into her eyes a long time, then removed her to the sofa, stood up, and took off his coat. She watched him as he hung it up on a peg by the door. When he rejoined her on the couch, she reached up quickly and unbuttoned the top button of his white linen shirt.

"Why...?"

"So you don't look like a serial killer," she shuddered.

The allusion was completely lost on him.

She ran her hand down the sleeve of his shirt, then twined her fingers in his. "So tell me, Severus--three months ago, would you ever imagine you'd be sitting here in your quarters entertaining a muggle?"

He lifted her hand, holding it briefly against his cheek. "Considering that I don't associate with muggles, no. Of course, I thought Dumbledore was out of his mind bringing you here."

"Is that right? I hadn't noticed," she retorted sarcastically. "Well, if it's any consolation, even if I told, none of my friends would ever believe this story of how we conducted an investigation at Hogwarts, no matter how many times I swore on the Bible."

"We're real enough, even though we hide...I've spent most of my life here. First as a student. Then as a teacher. With a little...interruption...in between."

"Hmm. What were you like as a student?"

"I got high marks. I liked to study the Dark Arts. That didn't endear me to some of my fellow classmates. What were you like?"

"Kind of a bookworm, I suppose, because I knew I needed to keep my grades up to get into med school. But I was mostly well behaved, apart from sneaking the occasional cigarette from Mom's purse..."

"That's a nasty muggle habit."

"I said it was occasional...Does Hogwarts do a yearbook? Do you still have yours?"

He looked at her strangely.

"You do have one! Oh come on," she cajoled. "Show me."

"I generally don't like to..." He protested, then sighed and reluctantly got up, leaving her to go into his bedroom to find it. He opened his armoire, and on the top shelf were his most important books. He threw the unneeded ones carelessly on his bed--the yearbook was shoved to the back of the cabinet. But as he searched, he heard a creak and turned around. She had not only followed him, but had also kicked off her shoes, hitched her skirt above her knees and was creeping across the counterpane. Then she reached for the smallest book, entitled _The Little Book of Little Spells_, sat back on her heels and opened to the flyleaf.

"Merry Christmas, Severus. Love, Lily." She read aloud. She looked up at him, her eyes soft. "I never realized you were so sentimental--you kept this keepsake in your possession all these years."

He raised an eyebrow at her. "What makes you think it's so old?"

Scully smiled. "The pages are yellowing. She addressed to you by first name--so she couldn't be a student of yours. And grown women don't dot their _I_s with little stars."

"Amazing deduction," he said dryly.

"She was a good friend of yours, wasn't she?"

"Dana..." he said, warningly.

Her eyes opened wide with drunken realization. "Were you in love with her?" She closed the book gently and handed it to him.

He held the book in both hands but didn't look at it. "Sometimes things don't work out the way one hopes," he said quietly before he put the book back into the armoire. "Anyway, here's my seventh year yearbook."

Scully flipped through it, surprised at how similar it was to a muggle yearbook. There were the faculty pictures--many of the same people were still holding their posts today--only they all looked so much younger here. Then there were the activities. Lots of quidditch photos. Of course, it was more like looking at TV, with all the moving around. But the general format was the same as her own.

Then she came to the individual photos. Looked in the S's.

"Hey, where are you? Your spot is blank."

"Well you must know I have better things to do than hang around in a yearbook picture all day."

"Can you call yourself back? I'd really like to see."

He rolled his eyes, but summoned himself back into the picture.

Scully stared. He looked much younger--just a teenager--before his Death Eater days. But he looked so resentful. Even with what she knew of his history she was shocked. "I guess you were having a bad day when this picture was taken."

"I never look at that yearbook. I don't like to dwell on those days," he said abruptly. "I was grateful enough to leave home when my summons came, but Hogwarts wasn't exactly a refuge, either. It had it's own...challenges. And because I followed the areas of study that were interesting to me, rather than following the herd, I wound up fighting my share of duels."

"I understand," she nodded.

"But no," he sneered. He was regretting opening this part of his life to her, and felt the need to relieve his feelings in sarcasm. "I don't think you would really understand that. You are...pretty. And you have a respectable career--on the right side of the law--in a position of trust. Everything comes easily to _you_." He sat on the edge of the bed and stared a challenge to her.

"Oh, wouldn't I understand?" She retorted, snapping the book shut. "I was rather gawky as a teenager, for your information. We didn't hang out with the party crowd, my friends and I. We weren't cool enough for them. But that's neither here nor there. How can you just judge me like that and make assumptions about my life? _Look_ at me, Severus--look at me right here and now. I'm thirty--..." she laughed shortly and smoothed down her blouse and skirt. "Let's just say I'm thirty_something_ and leave it at that. I'm essentially married to the Bureau--and not a very happy marriage, to stretch the analogy. For one thing, I have an office in the basement. I'm not sure what that means in wizarding terms. But let me tell you--in the muggle world, it means my career is nearly flatlined. My days consist of investigating haunted houses and chasing after aliens from outer space. My nights? My weekends? Let's just say my _respectable_ career has left me with precious little time for a real life. And even if I quit the FBI today, and pursued a normal, middle class, suburban life--like Bill and Tara, for instance--I can never have any..." She stopped short. The sterility that was the result of her abduction experience was something she didn't want to discuss with him. Besides, it brought up painful memories of Emily. "...any normal life. I think I've gone too far to ever have a normal life," she concluded softly. "So what could you _possibly_ tell me about things not working out the way you planned?" Then she groaned as she put her face in her hands. "That little speech was the alcohol talking. In the morning I'll hate myself for telling you all that. Then I'll deny that I remember anything I said tonight. I would appreciate you pretending you don't remember any of it, either."

He sat, shocked, not expecting that outburst from her. He reached out and put a hand on her knee. "Then maybe we're more alike than we realize. I'm also...thirtysomething--as you so interestingly phrase it...and I'm married to Hogwarts. Although I like my office exactly where it is, dungeon and all, my days are spent teaching unappreciative little brats how to make potions they're not intelligent enough to use properly."

She put her hands down and chided him. "That's not nice."

"I don't care."

They sat in silence for a moment.

"Do you ever...do you ever wish for more out of life?" Scully whispered.

"After what I saw tonight, are you about to tell me your life is too boring?"

"That's just my work. I'm not talking about work. I'm talking about a real life--like other people have. A life where work stays at work and home stays at home. You know--a life."

"I try not to think about it."

She kneeled up, a little bit unsteady. "Don't you get tired of just reading about life, or just being an observer to other peoples' lives?" She pressed.

He kneeled up, also, facing her. "Sometimes," he said quietly.

Blue eyes locked on black, and she swayed towards him. He plunged his hands into her hair, tipping her head back, and his mouth descended on hers, gently coaxing her lips apart. And against the backdrop of the delicious unreality of Hogwarts, she reveled in the solid reality of the man enfolding her in his embrace.


	26. Chapter 26

Chris Carter and 1013 Productions owns the X-Files

Chris Carter and 1013 Productions own the X-Files. JK Rowling, Warner Brothers and Scholastic own Harry Potter. All I own is this story line, every Harry Potter DVD and a complete collection of X-Files DVD's.

xXxXxXx

A/N This story is set anytime during _Sorcerers Stone_ through _Prisoner of Azkaban_ of HP (although it contains information in all the books) and after X-Files episode "Emily", but before "Requiem".

xXxXxXx

Consciousness came back slowly to Scully nor did she try very hard to wake up. She felt a heavy weight on her chest but ignored it. She just wanted sleep...and forgetfulness. But by inexorable degrees she awakened--her eyes opened--they focused on the dark beams of the wooden ceiling above her--and realized that the weight on her chest was Snape's head. His one arm was curled underneath her, and his other hand was wrapped around her arm possessively. But her watch hand was unencumbered. She lifted it to her face and gasped--breakfast was in 20 minutes!

"Psst, Severus, wake up!"

"Dana," he mumbled, and pulled her tighter.

"Wake up, wake up now! Severus, wake up!" She tried to roll over, but was unable with the weight of him on her.

He lifted his head and looked into her eyes.

"You have to take me back to my guest room," Scully insisted. "It's almost breakfast! Twenty minutes 'til"

He got up quickly and pulled her to sitting. She slid off the bed to put on her shoes and ran her hands down over her clothes to smooth them. He was already in the other room and she went to find her jacket.

She was ready first and waited for him by the door. "What are you doing?", she asked impatiently.

"Putting on my coat."

"Okay--no. We don't have time for you to button every last button. We're going to be late."

"I refuse to be seen by anybody unless I'm fully dressed."

"Aren't you hearing me? We're going to be_ late_."

"No we won't. I know a shortcut the students don't."

Little reassured, she tapped her foot impatiently as she waited for him to finish. She looked at her watch. Fifteen 'til. But finally he was ready and he opened the door for her.

He took her down yet another unfamiliar hallway and to a door she hadn't seen before. It scraped open to reveal a set of spiral stone steps and he took her hand. They ran up the curling passage until she felt completely dizzy, then he opened another door, which to her surprise was right across from her guest room.

"How come I've never seen this...?" She wondered.

"Because you never asked."

They looked at each other, and suddenly a silence fell on them both. There was too much to say, too little time to say it.

She reached into her pocket, pulled out her key. "You better go," she said. "I'll see you at breakfast."

And he turned back towards the hidden passage. But before he slipped through he turned back towards her. They locked eyes again, and he reached for her. She flew into his arms...

Then a door opened. Scully and Snape stepped back from each other. Mulder's smile faded to concern when he saw who she was with.

But before any of them could speak, Professor McGonagall came hurrying down the corridor.

"Oh, Severus, I didn't expect you. Are we all ready for breakfast then...?" Then she broke off, eyes narrowing with realization.

But Snape did not seem inclined to explain his actions. "I'll see you at breakfast," he said to Scully before he disappeared through the hidden staircase.

Left alone with Mulder and Scully, McGonagall's eyes flicked over Scully's outfit, the same one she'd seen her in late the previous night. "Do you need a few minutes to change, Agent Scully?"

"Yes. Thank you," and she ran into her room and shut the door. She was shaking as she shed her rumpled clothes and put new ones on. Then she looked into the mirror to wash her face and touch up her makeup, and she was appalled that her hands were still shaking too badly to apply anything. Then she took out her contacts and put them in solution to soak.. She didn't have a second pair. She'd have to wear her glasses today...

As if contacts and makeup were her biggest problems. She felt a weird shaft of guilt when she remembered Mulder's face when first she saw him this morning. Then she felt angry with herself, and with him, for making her feel that way. Nobody owned her, she could associate with anybody she wanted. But Mulder already believed she was too emotionally involved with this case. The last thing she needed was for him to have extra ammunition to support that belief.

"Oh well, the damage has already been done. I can't do anything more than to brazen it out."

And with that, she opened her door and joined Mulder and McGonagall.


	27. Chapter 27

Chris Carter and 1013 Productions owns the X-Files

Chris Carter and 1013 Productions own the X-Files. JK Rowling, Warner Brothers and Scholastic own Harry Potter. All I own is this story line, every Harry Potter DVD and a complete collection of X-Files DVD's.

xXxXxXx

A/N This story is set anytime during _Sorcerers Stone_ through _Prisoner of Azkaban_ of HP (although it contains information in all the books) and after X-Files episode "Emily", but before "Requiem".

xXxXxXx

The conference was late in the afternoon, during the lull between the last class and dinner, and it was brief. The upshot was that Voldemort's followers were definitely mobilizing, but whether this was being done on his own orders was unclear.

"There is evidence their communications are haphazard," Dumbledore said as he stood and addressed the attendees. "Wizards on one side of the ocean don't seem to know what wizards on the other side of the ocean are doing. Therefore, I conclude that his followers are not all acting in concert. But I'm afraid I don't have any explanation for this."

Examining and diagnosis was second nature to Agent Scully. And as she sat in the chair she'd chosen, a little bit apart from the others, and watched him with her professional eye, she grew concerned. After the meeting she approached Dumbledore.

"Ah, Agent Scully," he said as he saw her approach. "I just spoke to my witch colleague who's guarding your mother, and she's fine. And, your brother, Bill, had no problems when he left her last night..."

Scully nodded. "Thank you. But I'm not here about that. Sir...are you feeling alright?"

He removed his spectacles and rubbed the bridge of his nose wearily, then smiled gently at her. "You're a consummate professional. It's been truly a delight to have you here these past weeks. But you must surely know, for a man of my age, to teach those classes..."

"You shouldn't have pushed yourself."

"Nonsense," he said. "I loved teaching a class again, after all these years. Those students are such eager learners! I don't know why Severus complains about them so much."

"May I offer an opinion? You didn't sleep last night, did you?"

He took her arm and pulled her aside. "I don't mind admitting to you that I'm rather baffled. I don't know what these findings mean. And I don't like living with mysteries like this for too long. I have the safety of my school to consider. And so yes, I slept poorly."

Scully nodded. She was honored that he trusted her enough to admit his doubt to her. "You know what I'm going to prescribe. An early bedtime and a good night's sleep."

He chuckled. "They say new experiences are broadening. I've never been seen by a doctor before, only by healers. But I'll take your advice and see what it does for me. Who knows? I might become a proponent of muggle medicine."

But Dumbledore's good night sleep was not to be.

xXxXxXx

Earlier that morning, after breakfast, Scully had gone back to her room and stayed there. She didn't want any company--not Snape, not Mulder, not anybody. She wanted to be alone to think her own thoughts. But at dinner Snape pressed her to see him that evening. She told him she needed to do some research. So he told her he would find her when the library closed. But she found it very hard to concentrate on her reading, and needed to burn off some nervous energy. Besides, she didn't like being confined to the area of the library. And so she was meandering the halls around the perimeter, knowing Snape could catch up with her if he really wanted her. She hadn't really spoken to him since he left her at her door and she had a very unprofessional bout of nervousness at the thought of seeing him again. She wasn't supposed to be wandering the halls unattended, but there hadn't been any attacks lately and she was a little careless.

Then she decided she needed to use the ladies' room. She didn't want to use the staff bathroom because it was so far away, and she thought she remembered that there was a student lavatory somewhere around here. But she turned one corner, and then another, and pretty soon she started to have the feeling she was lost. She turned around, looking for something that looked familiar, but didn't. With a sigh of annoyance at the labyrinth of corridors, she retraced her steps. And as she turned yet another corner, she saw Hermione, with Harry and Ron in the distance, walking. Hermione would be able to direct her. Scully hurried her steps to catch them up.

Hermione started to lead Scully towards the ladies', when they heard a strange noise, like moaning. When they turned in the direction of the noise, a bluish mist could be seen coming from a rarely used room at the end of the hall. Scully placed her books down on the floor and started approaching the room cautiously, with the students behind her. The door was ajar and Scully instinctively reached for her gun . She motioned for the children to back up away from the door and called into the room, "Who's there?" There was a brief silence, then the moaning resumed. Scully took a deep breath, pushed open the door with her foot, and what looked like the ghost of a teenage girl flew out. Scully ducked, even though she knew it was a ridiculous thing to do, and she called out again. This time there was silence, but the bluish mist intensified. She stepped cautiously into the room. It seemed to be an abandoned old classroom, but a glare of light out of the corner of her eye made her turn. There, in a mirror, was herself holding hands with a little girl wearing corduroy overalls and a ribbon in her hair and a little gold cross around her neck. The little girl was looking directly at Scully.

Scully let out a strangled gasp that made the students peer around the door. Looking down briefly at her side, she saw nothing--the little girl was only to be seen in the mirror. She walked towards the mirror with the image of the little girl at her side, and knelt down slowly, until they were at eye level. She put out her hands towards the little girl, who held up her hands towards Scully. But when their fingers met, all she could feel was glass.

Scully ran one hand along the glass to the edge, and tried to feel around it. She was afraid to look behind the glass, for fear the girl would disappear, but she was getting frustrated. "One of you," she called over her shoulder, "Help me get her out of the glass."

Harry became a little alarmed. He didn't know who she was talking about, but he had seen this mirror before, and knew it was a trick. "Agent Scully, I can't do that."

"Then go get Professor Dumbledore, or Professor Snape, or someone who knows how. She needs to come out of there!" Scully sounded urgent, and Harry was frightened. He sent Hermione to find someone. When he and Ron were alone with her, he walked over to the glass, hunkered down, and tried to explain.

"Hermione is going to get someone, but Agent Scully, listen to me. This is the mirror of Er--"

Scully's brow was puckered up in a frown of concentration as she continued to run her fingertips over the glass, up and down, side to side. She spoke politely but firmly. "Harry, please, I'm trying to think..." her voice trailed off as she continued to be mesmerized by the little girl in the glass. She was becoming increasingly upset, moving her hands around the mirror, but not daring to turn away from it. Harry watched helplessly. He understood why she couldn't tear herself away.

He was grateful to hear running footsteps and for the first time in his life was relieved to see Snape as he rounded the corner and knelt down by Scully. She grabbed his arm.

"Professor, get her out of there--do some magic or something, but get her out now!"

"Agent Scully, what do you mean, 'she'?" Snape asked her in a tone of voice none of the students had ever heard him use before.

"Please get her out!" she was pleading. Snape put his hand under her elbow and made as if to help her to her feet, but she cried "No!" and wrenched her arm away.

By this time Hermione arrived with Dumbledore and a few others. The Headmaster crouched down on the other side of Scully, and, without touching her or taking his eyes off the glass, spoke. "You've suffered a grievous loss." It wasn't a question. Scully bit down hard on her hand and nodded slowly.

Dumbledore resumed speaking, "Agent Scully, what you are looking at is the Mirror of Erised. It shows the viewer their heart's desire. But you must understand. This is only an illusion. The little girl isn't really in the mirror. She is inside of you."

"But you see her, Professor Dumbledore. You see her, so she must be there."

"I do see her. But it's still a magic mirror, Agent Scully. "

Scully closed her eyes, but she wouldn't let go of the mirror. Dumbledore waited patiently as she struggled to compose herself in the middle of a crowd of curious onlookers. Mulder was the last to arrive. The others cleared a path for him, and Mulder approached the mirror and Scully fighting for control over herself.

Dumbledore directed his question to Mulder. "Scully's been caught under the spell of the mirror of Erised. It shows one their fondest wish. Would you have any idea who the little girl is that Agent Scully can see? I'm afraid she is unable to help us right now."

Mulder slowly shook his head, and without taking his eyes off the glass said quietly, "Scully, are you seeing Emily?"

Scully nodded and opened her eyes, but didn't look at him. She was entranced by the image in the mirror.

McGonagall asked him, "Who is Emily and what is she to Agent Scully?"

Mulder straightened up and answered, "Her daughter."


End file.
